Allergy Relief - Top 4 ways to fortify your immune system

Intruder alert! Intruder alert! Unknown attacker has breached the perimeter.

Histamines, the foot soldiers of your body's immune system, rush to the front lines, desperate to keep you safe.

They gather in your throat, tightening its muscles in order to block entry.

They gather in your eyes, trying to wash the intruder away in a flood of tears. And they gather in your sinuses, prepared to forcibly expel the attacker with a tremendous sneeze.

Your body doesn't understand that this is a false alarm. Harmless substances such as pet dander, dust, and pollen are viewed as a threat because you have an immune system disorder.

Your body is being maddeningly overprotective.

This overprotective dynamic is created because your immune system is weak and therefore feels vulnerable.

You need to strengthen your immune system to, in essence, build its confidence. Once it's confident, your immune system will be better equipped to take those allergens in stride.

The allergens will become more of an annoyance than a full-blown threat. The histamine foot soldiers will always be at the ready - - but you can take them out of red alert status.

Top 4 tips for natural ways of strengthening your immune system:

* Get plenty of vitamin C. Our bodies can't produce vitamin C on their own, and yet, we rely on this hardworking vitamin to stimulate the production of the white blood cells that are so vital in our fight against disease.

That means we have to get our vitamin C from dietary sources such as citrus fruits, melons, tomatoes, and leafy green vegetables.

* Exercise regularly, doing something you enjoy. You don't have to go out and run a marathon. You don't have to lift weights . Do something fun, and do it often.

* Sleep 7-9 hours per night. In today's rush-rush world, a full night of sleep is a rare and precious commodity for many people.

Allergy sufferers in particular should prioritize sleep for its rejuvenating properties. Think you're on edge if you haven't gotten enough sleep?

Imagine how that histamine foot soldier on the front line feels. Trigger happy, ready to jump at the slightest shadow.

* Drink lots of water. In addition to keeping your body lubricated, water literally flushes impurities out of your system.

That means there's less work for your immune system to do, and a relaxed immune system is a healthy immune system.