Your immune system is the soldier of your body as it plays a vital role in protecting your body from harmful substances, germs, and cell changes that could make you unwell. In the absence of an immune system, there would be no way to fight harmful things and changes that enter our body from outside or that occur inside our body respectively. Composed of various organs, cells, and proteins, its main tasks include:
a. To recognize and then neutralize harmful substances from the environment.
b. To fight disease-causing changes in the body such as cancer cells.
c. To struggle and remove disease-causing germs or pathogens like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi from the body.
This arises a need to follow a variety of shoot up techniques that ensure the immune system gets boosted like:
1. Have a balanced diet
A healthy diet that contains plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats is the key to a strong immune system. The best way to support your immune system is to eat a well-balanced diet that not only provides your immune system the energy it needs but also ensures that you get sufficient amounts of the micronutrients that play a role in maintaining your immune system. The immune system booster vitamins include:
a. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is vital to support biochemical reactions in the immune system and is mainly found in chicken, tuna, and green vegetables.
b. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the best immune system booster vitamins whose sources include citrus fruits, broccoli, and spinach.
c. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection and is present in almond oil, peanut butter, and spinach.
2. Exercise regularly
Physical activities like aerobics, exercise, and yoga help in boosting blood flow regularly, which circulates white blood cells through the body. The immune system responds to exercise by producing more of these white blood cells, which are the cells of the immune system that protect the body against diseases and by boosting overall circulation, making it easier for immune cells and other infection-fighting molecules to travel more easily throughout the body. Focus on staying active and getting regular exercise as any form of physical activity is not just for building muscles and helping yourself distress but is an essential part of being healthy and supporting a healthy immune system.
3. Keep yourself hydrated
Water plays a vital role in your body, including supporting your immune system. Lymph is a fluid in your circulatory system which carries important infection-fighting immune cells around your body and is largely made up of water. Dehydration slows down the movement of lymph and may lead to an impaired immune system. Therefore, drinking enough water to keep yourself hydrated regularly is crucial as it keeps your immunity up by protecting you against infection. Hydration helps your body to naturally eliminate toxins and other bacteria that may cause illness. Further, to help support your immune system, be sure you are replacing the water you lose with water you can use.
4. Sleep enough
Sleep plays an essential role in immunity. Proteins called cytokines are released by the immune system which is needed to fight infection, while you sleep. The amount of cytokines produced is reduced when you are sleep deprived likewise reducing the infection-fighting antibodies you need. Keep in mind to get a proper amount of sleep. Studies say that people who do not get enough quality sleep are more prone to getting sick after exposure to viruses, such as those that cause the common cold. Hence, adequate good quality sleep is needed to give your immune system the best chance to fight off infection and illness.
5. Manage your stress levels
Stress affects your health, including the impact it has on your immune system, either quickly or with time. During a period of stress, your body initiates a stress response that suppresses your immune system and increases your chance of infection or illness. Long term stress promotes inflammation as well as imbalances in the immune cell function.
Therefore, the key to immune health is relieving stress and anxiety by performing mindfulness activities like meditation and deep breathing that help you manage your stress and anxiety levels.
The immune system of our body is a state of the art protection mechanism against external threats that forms the key for good health. The vitality of its strength cannot be stressed enough because of the various functions it performs including fighting off pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and microbial parasites that try to invade and affect our health. It does so by identifying them from the healthy bodily tissue and dowsing the threat. Hence, boosting our immune system is a major concern and should be given due importance.
