There is an amazing anda complex defense mechanism called the immune system. As the cold season approaches, our immune system weakens, and even the healthiest person can get sick. Three long months of winter are ahead, and this means that you should take care of your health to avoid getting sick and learn how to boost your immunity. Your immune system is at risk because you are exposed to numerous viruses, germs, parasites, and bacteria every day that want to invade your body, not to mention the increasing pollution that also affects you in a negative way.
What is immunity?
To understand the power of the immune system, you need tolook at what happens to a living thing as soon as it dies. It sounds crude, but this example will show you that there is something very important about your immunity. When a living thing dies, its immune system (along with everything else) switches off. Within a few hours, all sorts of bacteria, microbes, parasites invade your body - none of these microorganisms are able to invade when your immune system is working, but the moment it stops working, the "gates" open wide. Apparently, our immune system does something amazing to prevent foreign bodies from invading the body and to maintain health. So how do you boost your immunity? The idea of boosting immunity is tempting, but it is not so easy to implement. Since the immune system is a complex of different processes that must be in balance and harmony to function successfully, you need to combine and follow several rules at once to maintain health and strengthen your immunity. You can say goodbye to frequent bouts of flu and colds by making these simple lifestyle changes.
How to increase immunity with a healthy diet
Eat healthy food.Nutrition, or your diet, is the most important key that will quickly help boost your immune system. What you feed your body will determine how healthy it will ultimately be. If you are constantly eating fast food, you are not getting the nutrients your body needs. Instead, focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. They contain high levels of vitamins and antioxidants that your immune system needs. When choosing fresh fruits and vegetables, make sure you get them in different colors. Each color indicates a different combination of vitamins that the product contains. Include a variety of healthy foods in your daily diet. Try to avoid consuming excess sugar, fat, and alcohol. Drink more water. Water helps to activate muscles, improve bowel function, and balance the fluid levels in your body. You should drink 8 glasses of water every day. Avoid quenching your thirst with lemonade, beer, tea, or coffee, as these drinks dehydrate the body.
How to raise immunity? Lead a healthy lifestyle!
Quit smoking.Smoking damages virtually every organ in your body and increases your risk of stroke, heart attack, and lung cancer. Get enough sleep. Sleep is important not only for rest and recovery, but also for maintaining your body’s immune system. It is when you sleep that your immune system is replenished and strengthened. Losing even one night of sleep can significantly suppress your immune system.
- Melatonin, a natural hormone, is released,when darkness comes. It makes you feel drowsy and helps you achieve a deep and restful sleep. In addition, it is a powerful antioxidant that helps maintain the function of the immune system, so that while you are sleeping, the immune system functions to support the vitality in the body.
- Strong sleep improves not only the mood and energy level, it prevents strokes and helps you manage your weight. Strive to sleep 7-8 hours a day.
Work until you sweat.Moderate exercise is a great way to boost and maintain your immune system. In addition, doing certain exercises improves your cardiovascular health and significantly reduces the risk of some chronic diseases. Stay calm. Stress can be very harmful to your immune system, and prolonged periods of stress can lead to a weakened immune system. Therefore, it is very important to find ways to combat stress. This can be meditation, yoga, doing something you love, spending time with friends - anything that has a positive effect on you. Maintain hygiene. Be sure to keep your body clean; observing basic hygiene rules will help prevent the occurrence and spread of infections or diseases.
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. This will help to get rid of any dirt, microbes or bacteria that you contacted during the day. you must wash your hands after visiting the restroom; before eating; before, during and after cooking; after contact with animals.
- Go to the shower every day. Use a loofah or sponge for the body to remove dirt and dead skin cells.
- Brush your teeth twice a day and use dental floss if possible. This will help prevent gum disease.
- Carry an antibacterial hand sanitizer with you and use it when you can not wash your hands.
How do special products and supplements affect immunity?
Be skeptical of "immune boosters"drugs. There is no scientific evidence that the various pills and dietary supplements advertised on TV and supposedly "boosting immunity" are effective. In simple terms, the best thing you can do to boost your immunity is to lead a healthy lifestyle and timely prevent and treat diseases. Eat antioxidants. Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and other substances that help restore damaged cells in the body. Examples of antioxidants are beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc, and selenium. These substances, which will help quickly boost immunity, are found in some fruits or vegetables.
- Vitamin C is found in berries, broccoli, potatoes, oranges, green peas, strawberries, sweet pepper, lemon, tomatoes and cauliflower.
- Beta-carotene is found in apricots, dried apricots, beets, spinach, pumpkin, persimmons, tomatoes, corn and carrots.
- Vitamin E is found in broccoli, carrots, nuts, papaya, spinach and sunflower seeds.
- Zinc is found in red meat, beans, nuts and seafood.
- Selenium is found in tuna, pork fat, beef, eggs, coconut.
Try aromatherapy.Aromatherapy is a great way to quickly boost your immune system. Stress, as mentioned above, is one of the main factors that negatively affects your immunity. Therefore, aromatherapy will help you relax, unwind and relieve stress. Essential oils that are famous for their relaxing properties (tea tree oil, chamomile and lavender) can be used in aroma candles, in the bath or in massage oils. The smell of the oil will help reduce anxiety, and your skin will be nourished by the oils. The skin is one of the most important barriers protecting the body from infections, so it is important to take care of it.