20 IMMUNE BOOSTERS; Beat Bugs with Our Guide to Staying Healthy

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Byline: LISA MURPHY/CHATELAINE OCTOBER/PLANET SYNDICATION

THE simplest things may strengthen your body's self-defence system, from a hearty belly laugh to eating a peach in bed.

With winter approaching, the chances are you haven't given much thought to fortifying your body's inner defences against viruses, bacteria and toxins.

However, getting your immune system - an intricate collaboration of organs, cells and chemical messengers - into shape can be easy, energising and fun.

Eating the right foods, for example, may help restore the disease-busting tools nature already gave you.

And you're getting a boost from researchers who are trying to unravel the complexities of your immune system.

The basics are understood well enough: imagine someone with the flu sneezes in your direction. Anti- germ substances in your skin, mouth and nose go to work right away to keep the flu virus from entering your body.

If they fail, the virus may make …