New Year's resolutions work better if you know what to measure
From our immune systems to our microbiomes, if you're planning to make health improvements in the new year, having an eye on the numbers can help set you up for success
Leader and Health
From our immune systems to our microbiomes, if you're planning to make health improvements in the new year, having an eye on the numbers can help set you up for success
23 December 2025
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plainpicture/Nordic Life/Terje Rakke
As 2025 draws to a close, it is traditional to look back at the year that was and forward to what may come next. Many of us will be considering New Year’s resolutions, such as getting fitter, eating better and boosting our immune system – but how do you know if your new habits are truly working?
To start with, “boosting” your immune system is a misnomer, since an overactive immune defence would be a bad thing, but as new research is revealing (see page 26), it is possible to assess our ability to fend off infection by measuring levels of certain immune cells. From this, your “immune grade” can reveal if you are fighting fit.