How to boost your immune system naturally
The immune system is made up of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs. It defends you and your body against germs and microorganisms every single day.
In most cases, the immune system generally does a great job of keeping you healthy and preventing infection. But sometimes problems can lead to illness and infection, here's how to avoid that with top tips:1. Eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and minimize your intake of processed foods
2. Get a good night's sleep
3. Exercise regularly
4. Reduce stress
5. Follow good hygiene practices
6. Maintain a healthy weight
7. Cut your nails (long fingernails can become a breeding ground for germs)
8. Avoid smoking
9. Limit your alcohol intake
The best vitamins and minerals for your immune system
Vitamin A- This supports the normal functioning of the immune system as it's thought to help develop a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies. Some sources of vitamin A include eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, and cod liver oil.
Vitamin C- this can help support cellular functions needed by the immune system. Oranges, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, and red/ green peppers are your best source.
Vitamin D- this will help to keep your immune system strong with the ability to fight off infections quickly. As most vitamin D is received from sunlight, the UK Government recommends a daily supplement between October and March.
Zinc- this contributes to the normal function of the immune system and can be found in seafood, red meat, chickpeas, eggs, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds.
I have a lot of health problems, like Asthma/ Irregular heartbeat/ Recurrent UTI, and a bad digestive system. Therefore, I need to take several supplements every day and boost my immune system. These are the supplements I need to take every day:
Women's health- women are commonly faced with health ailments such as urinary tract issues, imbalances in vaginal flora, poor digestion, and weakened immune systems.
UP4™ Women's Probiotic Capsules with Organic Cranberry - 60 Count
D-Mannose (support of bladder and urinary)
Wiley's Finest Wild Alaskan Fish Oil
Purely Inspired's 7-Day Cleanse
Forever Aloe Vera Gel (maintaining a healthy digestive system)
Get plenty of sleep and rest
Your body rejuvenates and strengthens when it's at rest so try and get between eight and ten hours a night. Sleep has loads of health benefits but boosting your immune system has two distinct ones:
Firstly, getting a good night's sleep relaxes you. If you're stressed or anxious your body releases more adrenalin and too much of this hormone lowers your immunity.
Secondly, when you're asleep your body produces a hormone called melatonin, which helps prevent certain diseases.
Eat a balanced diet
Eat foods with high antioxidant levels (also known as superfoods, such as avocados) these are great for your immune system. Fruit and vegetables, dairy products, melons, berries, dark greens, whole grains, and meat are all superfoods. Antioxidants are vitamins in your diet that can reduce your risk of diseases and can give your immune system a boost.
Keep it quiet
Recent research shows that noise pollution can have an impact on your immune system and can leave you stressed or with a thumping headache.
Cortisol is a hormone that is created by the body's response to stress and anxiety, it increases blood pressure and blood sugar, and reduces the ability of the immune system to respond to disease.
Previous research by the Service Environment Policy shows that both ongoing exposures to noise can increase cortisol levels- so avoid having the TV turned right up, music blaring, or your noisy kids within 5 meters of you.
Get moving
Exercise makes our body stronger, increases the circulation of blood and nutrients, and helps flush the body of toxins.
Fitting more exercise into your daily routine will help to lose weight but it can also stop you from catching colds and makes you happier overall.
It's recommended that you increase your heart rate for 30 minutes every day, and doing any form of exercise for more than this length of time will boost your immune system as well.
This is because when you exercise your body release endorphins. This increases your energy levels and the more energetic you are. the more energetic your immune system will be.
And, hand in hand most of the time with exercise is being outdoors. Most people spend 90% of their time indoors breathing in filtered air or other people's germs.
Being out in the cold, as long as you're wrapped up properly, kills any germs that are. lingering.
Drink plenty of water
Water not only keeps you hydrated it also carries oxygen to your body cells, which results in properly functioning systems.
H2o also works in removing toxins from the body, so drinking more of it could help prevent toxins from building up and having a negative impact on your immune system.
Laughter is the best medicine
It may be a cliché but it's actually true. Laughter lowers stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. When we laugh we trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals.
Take those sick days
The average worker takes 8.4 days off sick from work each year, so taking more than that in six months is well above average!
On the same hand though, having no days off at all can sometimes mean that you're going to work when you shouldn't be and sharing the germs around- not good for your immune system or anyone else's.
A study by Covonia recently said that one in three of us blamed our colleagues for giving us two colds a year. This is the same for doctor visits- the average person will visit their doctor 6.3 times a year and almost half of these visits are for colds or viruses that cannot be treated by the doctor.
It's not great for your immune system either to surround yourself with other sick people and germs!
While it is natural for your body to get a cold or bug- it's a way of preparing for infection in the future- it's actually better for your immune system if you don't go to work, rest properly and eat healthy because it will give your body a better chance of fighting it.
Giving your body rest will also make your system stronger in the future. Many people soldier on and a simple three-day cold can last for weeks and get worse.
Have more sex
When you're ill it's not exactly the first thing on your mind but increasing how much sex you have acted in the same way that exercise does.
Sex releases 'Feel Good' hormones and gives you loads more energy. Energy your body needs to carry on fighting the diseases.