Let’s talk about the inner workings of that body of yours and how you can support your immune system, keeping it running efficiently on track.
Eat Healthy
Eating healthy gives you the necessary condiments to whip up a sturdy immunity. Fiber-rich vegetables such as legumes, grains, nuts, and leafy greens, along with many colorful fruits contain Phytonutrients, compounds that boost immunity, improve intercellular communication, and repair the damage done to us by various toxins.
Meat, eggs, or non-animal sources such as beans and pulses provide us with much-needed protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins, which make sure that our cells are functioning normally. You know, making sure we create and maintain new blood cells and helping convert food into energy our body requires (metabolism).
Eating healthy is one thing, eating enough is another. Malnutrition impairs the body’s overall function to maintain healthy tissues and organs by depriving them of the crucial micronutrients to keep our immune system working. A good diet of substantial meals is one of your main support systems in fighting sickness and disease, and it’s always a good place to start working on with the help of your doctor or physician if you want to win.
Exercise Regularly
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are restricted from the outside world to partake in various physical activities that we used to love, like exercising in gyms or parks. This could lead to an increase in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cognitive impairment, and obesity.
But have no fear: it is possible to create a routine to work out our body, and thus reboot our immune system. Exercising helps flush out bacteria and clear up the lungs, stimulating the production of endorphins, our body’s natural painkillers, and mood boosters. It makes our bones stronger, kicks out toxins, and sculpts the body. Talk about a glow-up, inside and out.
Get Enough Sleep
With the work-from-home setup introduced to multitudes, our beds are quite tempting companions. But in other times, with the modern dilemma of work, time doze differences, family, social media, and entertainment, your usual sleep schedule can be thrown out the window. A study shows that enough sleep can differentiate between going to work the next day, or waking up with the flu. Those sleeping less than 5-6 hours are more prone to catch a cold than those sleeping a good 7 hours or more.
Take Your Supplements
If you think the above three aren’t fit for you, then there are always the over-the-counter supplements for those whose lifestyles just can’t accommodate such routines. Taking vitamins, minerals, and botanicals (herbal products) will give you the boost to prevent free radicals from harming your immune system. Most supplements should be taken with food to avoid upsetting the stomach and to stimulate digestion and absorption.
Remember, however, that supplements are only second to having a proper diet and active lifestyle. Getting physical and eating healthily should be enough to meet your body’s needs, but also consider taking supplements as your second option.
Drink Less Alcohol
Is liver damage the only thing we can get from excessive drinking? The intoxication from alcohol can also lead to lung inflammation, heart disease, stroke, and digestive problems. Certain drinks have varying effects. Consuming wines and beers that have polyphenols, which improve brain function and blood sugar levels, is better than avoiding drinking at all. Moderation is key, and also is choosing the right beverage. Drink responsively!
Don’t Smoke
Smoking harms the lungs’ tissues, hindering their ability to function right. If the lungs are weakened, the flu can easily travel down your respiratory tract and cause some major issues like inflammation, or bacterial pneumonia. Omit to smoke, and practice deep breathing techniques to lower cortisol levels (stress hormones), blood pressure, and improve blood flow.
Get Enough Sunlight
How much is enough? Even 5-15 minutes of direct sunlight on the skin is enough! Exposure triggers the release of hormones in your brain like serotonin, mainly known as a mood booster and stabilizer. Ultraviolet-B radiation from the sunlight also produces vitamin D, (the sunshine vitamin) a vital piece for regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. It also aids with bone and teeth growth and enhances resistance to disease.
Practice Proper Hand Sanitation
It’s all the talk these days, you know. 30 seconds of handwashing can reduce a person’s bacterial count by 58%; Rubbing alcohol can eliminate as much as 90%. This is proper courtesy, given our global situation: wash your hands after using the restroom, coughing or sneezing, before touching your face, and eating your meals. Sing the alphabet, recite a nursery rhyme. You’re doing the world a favor.
Get The Newest Flu Shot
Like any virus out there, it mutates. Getting the flu shot for each influenza season is optimal protection against the sickness. Flu vaccinations reduce community infection, hospitalizations, and death throughout the locale. A study even found that being regularly vaccinated can support immunity from certain strains of the virus. This is just one of the many ways to protect yourself, your family, and your neighbors too!
Early detection of health problems has higher chances of being cured. In no time, you and your partner can immediately go back to being sexually active.
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