Taking care of your health is important, especially under the current circumstances. As the world grapples with a pandemic, we must remember that prevention is better than cure. It is time for us to be more proactive about taking care of our health and our bodies. Since immunity is important to have antibodies, you need to follow the correct ways to boost immune system. Here, we will tell you how exactly you can do so.
Does boosting immunity only involve complicated exercises and expensive procedures? No. The best part about taking care of one’s body is that it is accessible to all. When it comes to boosting your immune system, you can take natural and healthy ways to do so. Before we learn more about how one can improve their immune system, let us learn what this phrase means.
Can you boost immune system?
Boosting one’s immunity system is complicated, and, scientifically speaking, it is not even plausible. Our immune system is not a singular organ; hence, it is called a system. “Boosting” the immunity system would require one to work on all organs which comprise this system. However, the system is quite complicated, and it will be hard to figure out which parts (or cells) of it you need to boost and how.
How to boost immune system quickly?
When people talk about boosting their immune system, they generally refer to leading a healthier lifestyle, which ensures you do not fall sick too often. Having good immune health means dealing with too many preventable health issues that boost your immune system and take care of your body. Essentially, it is about following a lifestyle where you curb your bad health habits.
Some common ways of taking care of your health, and following a healthy lifestyle are no smoking, not drinking too often, exercising regularly, eating healthy, getting adequate sleep, minimizing stressors in life, avoiding junk food and taking good care of your hygiene as well.
Following these guidelines help you take care of your body overall. While it does give your immunity system a boost of an upper hand, these steps help you to take care of all systems of your body.
Generally, boosting your immunity system refers to taking care of all systems of your body.
Ways to boost immune system
Following a healthy lifestyle is easier said than done in the 21st century, where everything is fast-paced, and people are too focused on their work to be able to dedicate the time to their bodies. However, in the present climate, it is becoming increasingly important to balance work-life and take care of your health.
Here is what you should keep in mind to ensure that you follow a healthy lifestyle, and general tips which can help you improve your health:
Most healthcare experts agree that exercising daily will ensure that you stay healthy. It is a good way to ensure healthy blood circulation. Exercising also ensures that hormones in your body circulate more rapidly. Additionally, when you exercise, it also helps you reduce your stress levels, which helps fight germs. Your body temperature increases when you exercise, which can also kill germs in their path. However, you must exercise in moderation; exercising most days of the week for half an hour to an hour is enough to boost your system.
In the fast-paced life, it is easy to get overwhelmed easily. Day-to-day stress is something that has become a part of life. However, most people do not realize how harmful stress can be. People must find ways to regulate their stress levels. Stress can adversely affect a person’s ability to fight infection and other diseases. This happens because stress hormones suppress your immune system, and hence, you are not able to effectively deal with germs and bacteria. Moreover, when someone is stressed, they cannot focus on keeping themselves healthy, following a healthy eating routine, or taking the time to exercise. While it may not be easy to live a completely stress-free life, you can practice mindfulness meditation, exercise, and look into other ways to regulate your stress.
Yes, there is something that you can do in your sleep! Sleeping can naturally boost your immune system; in this case, you can compare your body to a computer. A computer, if made to work continuously, can become overheated. Hence, it requires rest. Similarly, when you overexert yourself, your body can become overwhelmed and unable to function in the same capacity as before. When a person stays awake longer than usual or tries to get by on less than 7 to 8 hours of sleep, the body releases cortisol to keep them awake. Cortisol is a stress hormone which, as we know, suppresses the immunity system. Hence, you need to ensure that your body gets adequate rest. At least seven hours of sleep is a necessity. Limiting your screen time before bed can help you get better quality of sleep. The blue light is emitted from the phone. A laptop, tablets, and other screens can interrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle. So, for those who may have trouble falling asleep, or cannot seem to fall asleep until very late at night, it is better to stop using screens at least one to two hours before you sleep at night.
Strategy Regarding Supplement
When you do not have the luxury of sleeping for seven hours every day or trying to exercise for 30 minutes, then it is easy to lean towards supplements. After all, if there is a pill that you can take to ensure that your body stays fit, you will opt for that instead of other means, requiring more time and effort. Unfortunately, there is no single magical pill that can help your body. As mentioned earlier, the immunity system is a system, and hence a single pill will not be able to target all organs which are a part of that system. Especially if you are not sure if you need to add supplements to your routine. If you have a deficiency in your diet, supplements can be helpful. But before you decide to take any over the counter supplements, it is always best to consult your doctor to know how and what supplement you should take.
Drinking Enough Water
While staying hydrated will not necessarily help you fight off germs and viruses, it is important to ensure adequate hydration. Drinking enough water to make sure that you are not thirsty anymore is enough to maintain adequate hydration. When you do not drink enough water, other systems in your body may not be able to function adequately, making you more susceptible to illness. Hence it is important to drink as many fluids as you can. Tea, coffee, and juice can also make up your daily water intake; however, due to their high sugar content, it is advised that you limit their intake as much as possible.
Talking about supplements, there can be no better way to make up for nutrients that you may be deficient in by improving your diet. Food is an excellent way to boost your immune system. Health care experts always recommend improving your diet as a way to boost your immune system. Cooking with herbs like rosemary, oregano, garlic, turmeric, and ginger can improve your ability to fight off cold and flu.
These are just a few steps that you can take to help give your immunity system a head start. It is easy to incorporate these steps easily into your daily routine. There is no guarantee that these steps will help you fight off the current pandemic, but they are a great way to prevent and strengthen your body against many pathogens. Hence, there is no harm in trying to improve your lifestyle.
How to increase immunity home remedies
One point which requires some elaboration is dietary changes. We all know that we should stay healthy and that fruits and vegetables are good for our health. While all fruits and vegetables are good for our overall health, some vegetables seem to be more potent in improving our body’s ability to fight off germs than others. Here is what you should try to incorporate into your diet:
Oranges, Tangerine, Lemon, Lime, and Sweet Lime are some common citrus fruits beneficial for you. Citrus Fruits are a natural source of Vitamin C. It is well known that Vitamin C helps you fight off cold and flu. But our body does not produce vitamin C naturally, nor does it store it. Hence, a daily dose of Vitamin C is recommended for every individual. The daily required differs for men and women. They are 90 mg and 75 mg, respectively. Some people opt for supplements, and in that case, it is generally advised that you should not take more than 2000 mg per day.
This is a nutrient-packed vegetable and helps you to make up most of your daily vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and E. It is rich in antioxidants and provides your body with fibers. When cooking broccoli, the best way to preserve its nutrients is to steam it. Cooking this vegetable as little as possible is key to ensuring that you can take advantage of all the nutrients.
There seems to be a trend of green vegetables being good for you. It is important to eat as many green leafy vegetables as possible, and spinach is nutrient-packed. Just like broccoli, it is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C. It is also packed with beta carotene, which helps in boosting your immune system’s ability to fight off infection. To preserve its nutrients, it is best to cook spinach as lightly as possible.
When selecting yogurt, try to go for the variant that is not flavored, and hence, it is not packed with added sugars. The best way to sweeten yogurt is to add some fruits with it or to add honey instead. Choose a yogurt option that has live and active cultures as well as fortified vitamin D. Both vitamin D and active culture boost your immunity system as well as helps with your gut health.
Not just yogurt, other types of fermented foods are good for you as well. Natto, Kimchi, Kefir, and Sauerkraut are some examples of fermented foods. These foods are rich in probiotics, which ensure that your digestive system stays happy and healthy.
As vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, you must consume enough healthy fats for your body to be able to absorb the vitamin E adequately. Almonds are not only rich in Vitamin E but also healthy fats. Vitamin E helps in keeping your immune system healthy overall. An adult needs about 15 mg of vitamin E daily, and half a cup of almonds are enough to fulfill that requirement.
Kiwis and Papaya
These fruits not only taste good but help keep your body functioning properly. Kiwis are naturally rich in vitamin K and C, as well as potassium and folate. Papaya not only contains potassium and folate, but they contain magnesium as well; it also supplies the body with a digestive enzyme known as papain, which has anti-inflammatory properties. The best part about papayas is that they are rich in Vitamin C, and they supply your body with enough Vitamin C to fulfill your daily requirement. As we know, Vitamin C helps in fighting off cold and flu, while the other nutrients help improve your body’s functioning.
In the current climate, people are, naturally, looking for ways to be as healthy as possible. With these simple and easy suggestions, you can start leading a healthier lifestyle. While these methods may not completely prevent you from getting infections, they can help increase your chances of fighting them off, as well as ensure that you do not fall sick frequently.