Boost Your Immune System
Every country that wants to survive spends the majority of its budget on bolstering its defences. yet we ignore the defenses of our body.
the immune system
our immune system protects us 24/ 7 against
invading germs, viruses and infections just like a valued employee. if the needs
of our immune system are not taken care of. well it won't migrate to another
body like our ignored employee over there. But it would stop functioning at its
optimal level.
In late 2019 a new kind of virus was detected in the Wuhan city of china and before we knew it the whole world got affected by it. the world health organization declared this virus a global pandemic and it has claimed more than 5 million lives up to now.
this is the
coronavirus that the world is still fighting against with the new variant called
omicron. on the loose the struggle is far from over. it is to be noted here
that there are no antiviral drugs out there like antibiotics. our body needs to
deal with viruses on its own.
the only
known external aid that could be provided to our body are vaccines. now, if you
haven't studied a little biology in your school you might think the vaccines
cure the viral infection. they don't. instead they only alert the body's immune
system against the virus.
so, it is prepared to deal with the virus in time.
people with a strong immune system were able to survive this pandemic. so the
need for strengthening our defences is now more than ever now.
let's take a look at seven easy tips to boost your immune system and make it impenetrable.
No. 1 water is a must.
60% of our bodies are water. you can live without
food for weeks but if you are denied water you won't live to see the fourth day.
so our immune system also works at its best When enough water is supplied.
now we are not saying that water can easily stop
germs and viruses. it doesn't work like that but the water can prevent
dehydration which can interfere with normal body function.
how much water is enough well a rule of thumb is to
drink enough water that makes your urine pale yellow. you might say that you
would rather drink, sweetened drinks and juices to make up for your water
requirements.
since there is water in those drinks too. i
wouldn't go there if i were you no doubt there is water in those drinks. but
there is a lot of added sugar there too. that sugar not only will make you fat
but it can also affect our immune system.
No. 2 avoid sugars
let's be real here we all love sugars some of us
can't imagine a life without them. sugar has become our stress reliever, a
companion of our alone time as nack to get us through the day.
but the companionship
of this substance doesn't come without risks too much sugar is the number one
cause of obesity and we don't need to reiterate why obesity is bad.
not only is
obesity bad for your looks but obesity tags along with some scary sounding
diseases too like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure etc. hence obesity
increases our likelihood of getting sick. heart diseases, stroke and type 2 diabetes
weaken our immune system.
so by avoiding sugars especially added sugars. we
can strengthen our immune system and lose weight as well, quantitatively not more
than 5% of our daily diet should consist of sugars.
No. 3 healthful diet should be a priority.
fast foods have crept right into our diets why not
i mean these foods are mostly cheap. they can be prepared quickly and they can
easily be accessed. who would
spend so much time preparing his meals now.
the person who values his health you must understand
that the only thing well about fast food is their taste and my gosh do they
taste well? the foods are packed with unhealth fats and sugars. they contribute
to obesity and weight gain and also weaken our immune system.
so what's
the solution eat whole foods and please start preparing your meals at home. i
understand that it might take a while but the benefits are surely worth it. the
nutrients and antioxidants in whole foods like fruits, vegetables,legumes seeds
and nuts etc cannot be consumed through fast food.
The antioxidants
in these foods decrease free radicals in the body called oxidative stress and
that decreases inflammation also the fiber in these whole foods feeds our gut bacteria
and that also improves our immunity fermented foods like yogurt are also very
beneficial for our gut bacteria.
similarly the health fats in salmon and olive oil
can also have an anti-inflammatory effect that helps our immune system to
thrive. i told you that the benefits are worth the trouble.
No. 4 deep sleep has no alternatives
this point cannot be iterated enough due to our busy
schedules our sleep suffers. if you look at it from the perspective of a 21st
century's busy person. we are practically wasting one-third of our lives in
sleep.
if you sleep
eight hours a day but we can't go around this since sleep is as essential for
us as food. inadequate sleep makes us more vulnerable to sickness thus it
impacts our immune system. one particular study in this regard found that
individuals who slept six or more hours were less likely to catch a cold.
as a general
rule, adults should try to get at least 7 hours of sleep while teens should
sleep for 8 to 10 hours a day. a tip for having a deep night's sleep is to keep
the sleeping area dark and a bit cold. also avoid screens a few hours before
the time to sleep as the blue light from the screens can interfere with our
normal sleeping pattern.
No. 5 exercise regularly
Exercise has
many benefits for us it makes us lose weight, keeps our heart very well, improves
our mood and also boosts our immune system. moderate exercise is very beneficial
for our immune system so much.
so the studies have shown that even one session of
moderate exercise can show results in people with compromised immune systems.
this effectiveness can be traced back to the anti-inflammatory. effect of
moderate exercise and also its ability to increase the regular regeneration
rate of immune cells.
exercise
also increases our blood circulation which helps our defences to easily reach
the hiding enemies. you don't have to go to the gym to achieve. this beneficial
effect a 30-minute brisk walk should be enough to improve the efficiency of our
immune system and our overall health.
No. 6 stress is an enemy
stress can hinder the normal functioning of our
immune system. chronic stress causes inflammation and also suppresses immune
cells that's why too much stress is also a cause of heart attack and stroke.
the stress doesn't bear its fangs instantly.
but rather it builds up slowly and gradually. you might think that a little office stress is not a big issue. but if that stress builds up over time. it can have some serious consequences. that's why it is important to take sometime off every day to relieve stress.
stress
relieving activities vary from person to person. for some people reading a book
is a stress reliever and for others going to the gym or exercising is a stress
relieving activity.
Similarly meditation hiking singing or playing some
kind of a sport or other potential stress relieving activities. identify your
stress reliever and dedicate some time each day to that activity to boost your
immune system.
No. 7 why supplementation can go a long way.
there are a
lot of rumours on the internet regarding the benefits of supplements. so it is
very easy to get confused and start taking some supplements that you don't need
or that can potentially cause more harm.
but some
supplements do work and have been shown to have beneficial impact on our immune
system. these supplements include vitamin c, vitamin d, zinc, and
garlic. while there is some substance to the effectiveness of these supplements
against colds and infections.
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it is important to consult a doctor before taking them also try to acquire the supplements from a credible source since these supplements are not regulated by the food and drug administration or FDA. our immune system protects us day and night from germs, infections, harmful bacteria and viruses.
just like
our muscles bones and other parts of our body. our immune system also requires care
and consideration for its optimal functioning. but we tend to overlook our immune
system.