Boosting the immune system, and thus immune health, is beneficial to maintaining good health.
How to fight off illnesses is a major question, and many people like it to be answered.
While bolstering one’s immunity is easier said than done, several dietary as well as lifestyle changes can strengthen one’s body’s natural defenses and also help a person fight harmful pathogens, or disease-causing organisms.
Here are several health tips to boost one’s immune system and thus avoid falling ill too frequently.
Table of Contents
1. Get enough sleep
Sleep and immunity are indeed closely linked. Inadequate or poor-quality sleep can make a person prone to sickness.
Getting adequate rest does indeed strengthen natural immunity. If you have sleep problems, try limiting screen time to an hour prior to going to bed.
TV and computers may disrupt the circadian rhythm, or one’s body’s natural wake-sleep cycle. Going to bed at the same time every night and also exercising regularly maintains good health.
2. Eat more whole-plant foods
Whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, as well as legumes are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that may indeed provide an upper hand against harmful pathogens. The antioxidants in such foods do help decrease inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is linked to numerous health conditions, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers.
Meanwhile, the fiber in plant foods does feed one’s gut microbiome, or the community of healthy bacteria in the gut. A robust gut microbiome can indeed improve one’s immunity.
3. Eat more healthy fats
Healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil as well as salmon, may boost one’s body’s immune response to pathogens by decreasing inflammation. Chronic inflammation can suppress one’s immune system.
Olive oil is highly anti-inflammatory and is linked to a decreased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and chia seeds, fight inflammation as well.
Also Read, Benefits of Regular Exercise for General Health.
4. Eat more fermented foods or take a probiotic supplement
Fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria known as probiotics, which populate the digestive tract. These foods include sauerkraut, yogurt, kimchi, kefir, and natto.
If you do not regularly eat fermented foods, probiotic supplements are an option.
5. Limit added sugars
Research suggests that added sugars and refined carbs may contribute disproportionately to overweight and obesity. Obesity may increase the risk of getting sick.
Curbing sugar intake can decrease inflammation and aid weight loss, thus reducing the risk of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes as well as heart disease.
Given that obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease can all weaken one’s immune system, limiting added sugars is an important part of an immune-boosting diet.
6. Engaging in moderate exercise
Although prolonged, intense exercise can rather suppress one’s immune system, moderate exercise can in fact boost it.
Studies do indicate that even a single session of moderate exercise can boost the effectiveness of vaccines in people with weak immune systems.
Regular, moderate exercise can reduce inflammation and also help one’s immune cells regenerate regularly.
A few examples of moderate exercise are brisk walking, steady bicycling, jogging, swimming, as well as light hiking. Most people need to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
7. Stay hydrated
Hydration does not necessarily protect a person from germs and viruses, but preventing dehydration is important for overall health.
Dehydration can cause headaches and also hinder one’s physical performance, focus, mood, digestion, heart, and kidney functions. These complications can indeed increase one’s susceptibility to illness.
To prevent dehydration, it is necessary to drink enough fluid daily in order to make the urine pale yellow. Water is recommended as it is free of calories, additives, and sugar.
While tea and juice do hydrate, it is better to limit the intake of fruit juice and sweetened tea as they are high in sugar.
It is advisable to drink when thirsty and stop when you are no longer thirsty. More fluids are required if exercising intensely, working outside, or living in a hot climate.
Conclusion
Health is wealth, as the saying goes, so even maintaining a healthy immune system is important.