Our immune system plays a vital role in recognizing infection or injury in our bodies. When faced with an infection threat, our body develops an immune response to restore the body to normal function. While strengthening immunity should be a top priority of anyone navigating a run-of-the-mill annual flu season, boosting your immune system is all the more critical during the COVID-19 era.
As of today, there have been over 10.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in America. Among those, approximately 3.8 million cases are still active. And worse yet, over 241,000 people have succumbed to the virus, and the numbers continue to soar. With infections touching every corner of the planet, take your immunity into your hands with these simple lifestyle changes.
A routine doctor’s visit when striving for optimal physical health is of prime importance. Without routine check-ups, immune system disorders like lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis may remain undiagnosed and untreated, leaving patients susceptible to deadly viruses.
Sadly, health insurance costs continue to rise in the United States, restricting low-income families’ access to comprehensive health coverage. To illustrate this exponential increase, it will cost you about four times as much for pharmaceutical drugs in the U.S. than in other developed countries.
Can you imagine the effect on your pocket, especially when uninsured? Medical costs can crumble your financial picture, compromising your ability to access primary care. To that end, it would be best to search for health insurance plans in your state when hunting for affordable options.
How to boost your immune system
The idea of boosting immunity is appealing, but is it possible to elevate your immune system to the point you don’t get sick? Our immune system is complex, and there are several intricacies unknown to the researchers. However, this reality doesn’t mean we can’t take control of our immunity.
With this in mind, following the below tips can help you step into the driver’s seat when it comes to your immune system.
1. Eating healthy
There is power in a balanced diet. Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables in your diet for visible improvements in your immune system. These Vitamin C-rich foods help in fighting microorganisms.
Antioxidants like carrots, berries, and spinach, can help reduce stress levels, translating to more robust immunity. Consider incorporating probiotics to help fight gut bacteria. Garlic is also well-known for increasing our immunity.
Other foods you could try to strengthen your immunity include:
- Kiwi
- Shellfish
- Turmeric
- Green tea
- Almonds
- Ginger
- Broccoli
Eating certain kinds of foods can significantly improve your body’s bacteria-fighting properties. If you want to reduce your susceptibility to flu and other infections, visiting your local grocery should be the first step.
2. Exercises
Moderate exercises can help boost your immunity. Research shows that light exercises can increase the effectiveness of vaccines for persons with compromised immunity. Moderate activities like walking, riding a bicycle, swimming, and jogging can help your immune cells regenerate more often.
3. Minimize stress
Chronic stress results in exacerbated inflammation and immune cell imbalances, compromising your immune system. Participate in stress-relieving activities such as yoga, meditation, exercises, and reading for optimal immunity. When your stress levels become unmanageable, consider psychological counseling.
4. Take supplements
Many people have a deficiency of vital vitamins that help fight off infections. Luckily, you can resolve these deficiencies using natural sources, but supplements may be necessary for severe insufficiencies.
For instance, a person with a deficiency in Vitamin D can derive natural Vitamin D from sunlight. However, when daily walks and trips to the park don’t suffice, those with vitamin deficiencies can take a daily supplement of about 1,000 to 2,000 IUs of Vitamin D.
5. Don’t smoke
Smoking leads to numerous detrimental health effects, including an overall weakened immune system. Additionally, regular cigarette use may result in the following:
- Heart diseases
- Several forms of cancer
- Respiratory tract infections
- Cataract
- And many more health hazards
Generally speaking, quit smoking altogether is the best way to cash in these long-term immune system benefits.
6. Get adequate sleep
Poor sleep is linked to high disease susceptibility. The research argues that getting adequate sleep (about six hours or more) may boost natural immunity. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you could try the following tips:
- Avoid caffeine before bedtime
- Reduce light and electronics in your sleeping area to minimize distractions
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Do light exercises
- Avoid daytime naps
7. Take preventive measures to avoid infections
Being conscious of risk factors that could lead to infections won’t boost your immunity, but this strategy will protect you from a suppressed immune system. These preventive measures include:
- Washing your hands to keep off germs
- Cleaning and bandaging all open wounds
- Avoid sharing eating& other personal Use items
Conclusion
A healthy lifestyle is the first line of defense when looking to strengthen your immunity. Even though our ability to fight off viruses remains a mystery to scientists, it won’t hurt to observe the above healthy lifestyle changes.
Be sure to make a mental note that even when abiding by these immune-boosting tips and tricks, you might still get sick. And that’s okay. Sometimes, even those healthfood superheroes fall victim to a case of the sniffles. But don’t worry. Sooner than later, you’ll be donning your cape once again.
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