With viral diseases always appearing, now is the time to boost your immunity! Reinforcing your immune system is more than dosing yourself with various multivitamins. You have to strengthen your health so your natural defenses can help protect your body and fight toxic pathogens. Being healthy and having a solid immune system starts with your lifestyle. With a few tweaks to your lifestyle, you’ll develop better health and immunity and shake off that next cold easily.
Get Plenty of Sleep
I’m sure you’ve noticed how unwell you feel when you’ve only had a few hours of sleep. That’s because your body rejuvenates and strengthens your natural system during sleep. A study has shown adults who slept less than 6 hours of sleep every night are more vulnerable to colds than those who had 6 hours or more sleep each night. The goal is to get at least 7 hours of sleep for adults, 8 to 10 hours for teens, and 14 hours for younger children and infants each night. So give yourself a good night’s sleep each night; you’ll feel stronger when you wake up!
Eat for Your Immune System
Junk foods that are particularly high in sugar can inhibit your immune system from fighting bacteria. So if you down a couple of sodas regularly, your immunity will be a bit more vulnerable. To support your immune system, a good healthy diet is essential.
Whole Plant Foods
Have a feast of whole plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. These are naturally high in nutrients and antioxidants to arm you against harmful pathogens.
Fibre, in particular, supports your gut microbiome — the community of healthy bacteria living in your gut that fortifies your immune system. Other nutrients, such as vitamins C and E, as well as beta-carotene and zinc, protect and help you recover from common colds and other diseases faster. In addition, antioxidants in our bodies fight off unstable compounds or free radicals that cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation is responsible for various illnesses and conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, heart diseases, and certain cancers.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are very effective in decreasing inflammation, which helps your immune system fight against pathogens. For instance, olive oil and salmon — both great sources of omega-3 fatty acids — are both highly anti-inflammatory, protecting you from many chronic illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. This is because anti-inflammatory properties combat harmful bacteria and viruses.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods, like yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and more, are high in good bacteria or probiotics, which should populate the digestive tract. A study found that a healthy community of gut bacteria helps your immune cells identify harmful organisms from normal and healthy cells, resulting in an overall healthy immune system.
Get Moderate Exercise
Studies have proven that a single moderate exercise session can boost vaccine efficacy for those who have compromised immune systems. While regular, moderate exercise, such as a daily 30-minute aerobic activity, is linked to decreased inflammation and promoting immune cells regeneration.
Take Time to Relax
Are you constantly stressed? Chronic stress promotes inflammation and makes your body vulnerable to stress hormones that negatively affect your immune system. It might be difficult to quiet down the voices in your head, but there are ways to relax and better manage your anxiety. Try regular exercise, meditation, journaling and other mindfulness practices. Counselling is hugely beneficial too, whether virtually or in person.
Spend Time With Friends
Healthy relationships and a good social circle are not only beneficial mentally and emotionally, but they also positively impact your physical health. For example, a study shows that lonely first-year university students had a weaker immune response to a flu vaccine than those who had healthier social connections. So don’t let yourself become isolated from your family and friends; safely make meaningful connections to strengthen your immune system.
Conclusion
Your immune system is connected to every aspect of your health. So if you want a more robust immune response against various diseases, then a few healthier lifestyle and diet choices will go a long way. We hope that this will encourage you to live healthier to enjoy better immunity and improved overall wellbeing!
