Keep Symptoms of Chronic Conditions Under Control

Chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease, and diabetes can affect the immune system and increase the risk of infections. For example, when people with type 2 diabetes don’t manage their blood sugar properly, this can create a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response that weakens the body’s defense system, according to an October 2019 review in Current Diabetes Reviews.

Similarly, people with asthma are more susceptible to catching — or even dying from — the flu, often experiencing worse flu and asthma symptoms as a result of the infection, according to a study published in the July 2017 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

If you manage your chronic conditions better, you’ll free up more reserves to help your body fight off infection. So be sure to keep symptoms of chronic conditions under control, doctor visits, and healthy habits that keep your symptoms at bay. Your immune system will thank you.