Effective Ways To Boost Your Immune System
Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by the ceaseless demands that are placed upon us. We may feel like we’re on a never-ending hamster wheel, as we rush from one thing to another. Needless to say, this can take its toll upon our bodies. We may end up feeling constantly tired or run down.
Sadly, people in this situation often become vulnerable to illness. If there is a cold going around the office, they get it. If there’s a sickness bug in the family, they get that too. Fortunately, there are a number of things we can do to boost our immune systems. Let’s find out what they are right now.
Consider Vitamins And Supplements
If people eat a fully balanced diet, they will get all they need. In reality, however, many people don’t have this. There are also folks who have food allergies or are on special diets. If someone is looking for additional help, the internet is a good place to start. Anyone searching for vitamins & supplements will find there are online stores that let people compare products and prices. People often want to read customer reviews and helpful blogs on subjects like heart care and healthy breakfasts.
Zinc is found in such things as cheese and meat, and it helps our bodies produce new immune cells. Research has found that people who took supplements containing zinc, echinacea, or vitamin C had colds for less long than those who did not.
Garlic is packed with immune-balancing compounds (organosulfides). Studies have found that people who regularly consume it reduced their chances of catching a cold by one-third.
Stay On Top Of Stress
Adrenaline may serve us in a crisis, but it can be damaging long term. It promotes inflammation in our bodies and makes our immune cell function unbalanced.
Try and prioritize the things you need to do, and seek help from others where needed. Laughter is a great way to tackle anxiety, and it actually reduces our immune responses.
Don’t Drink Alcohol Excessively
If you’re one of those people who enjoy a glass of red wine each evening, this won’t be an issue.
In contrast, a night of binge drinking can reduce the number of lymphocytes in your body by up to half. While this is the case, a person will be more vulnerable to illness. Fortunately, our bodies can be very forgiving, and the effects will be temporary providing this was only a one-off.
Stay Hydrated
Consuming water will not boost your immune system. Having said that, it’s important to not see things in isolation. We are body, soul, and spirit. Our stress levels, lifestyles, and diets can affect one another. By staying hydrated, we contribute to our overall health.
If someone allows themself to become dehydrated, this could affect a number of things including their digestion, and heart and liver function. If this condition was prolonged, a person would be more at risk of falling sick.
Regularly Take Moderate Exercise
Interestingly, prolonged intense exercise is actually bad for our immune systems. What we need to be doing five times a week (for thirty minutes) is any exercise that will get our hearts pumping. Consider aerobic exercises, jogging, swimming, or taking brisk walks. When we exercise, our blood flow rate increases. During this process, our immune cells move faster into our veins.
If a healthy exercise routine is maintained, it can help reduce inflammation. Our immune cells will also be helped to regenerate regularly.
Be Disciplined With Sleep
On average, we need seven or eight hours of sleep a night. This helps us awaken refreshed and able to face the challenges of the day.
Whilst one bad night won’t do us any harm, prolonged poor-quality sleep will. It can actually undermine our immune systems. One study of 164 people identified those who had less than six hours a night and those who had more. The people in the first category were found to be more likely to catch colds.
Head For The Sun
If a person is deficient in vitamin D, they will be more likely to become ill. It’s true that we can get the vitamin from certain foods and supplements, but which would you prefer? Book a holiday in a sunny location, and let nature enhance your immune system!
What actually happens is that the sun exposes us to UVB rays, and our bodies synthesize vitamin D from them.
Eat Plant Foods
It’s worth researching what you need to eat for a healthy diet. The list will include fruit and nuts, vegetables, and seeds. They all contain high levels of nutrients and antioxidants. The latter reduces the inflammation created by free radicals in our bodies. Anyone who has chronic inflammation could be more susceptible to such conditions as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and a number of cancers.
Phytonutrients are something you will find present in berries. They actively boost peoples’ immune systems.
Consume Healthy Fats
They are present in such things as salmon, chia seeds, and olive oil. They act to strengthen our immune responses to pathogens (bacteria and viruses).
When our levels of inflammation are reduced, we limit our chances of developing heart disease or Type 2 Diabetes.
Eat Fermented Foods
They contain probiotics, which are basically ‘good bacteria’. When they reside within our digestive tracts they help our immune cells to discern the difference between healthy cells and invading organisms.
Example foods would include sauerkraut, natto, nefir, and kimchi. Probiotic yogurts will stimulate our white blood cells and make us more resilient to colds too.
Buy Oats
There is a soluble fiber called beta-glucan. This is present within oats, and it’s an ingredient that can stimulate our immune systems. As we have discussed, anti-inflammatory agents are what our bodies need, and oats contain a group of such antioxidants called avenanthramide (AVA).
When all these things come together, they help ensure that a person maintains a strong immune system. Not only will they be more resistant to illness, but they will also recover sooner.
