Essential Tips To Help Strengthen Your Immune System

The human body’s immune system maintains good and balanced health. A strong immune system fights infection caused by any foreign elements and keeps the entire body free from diseases. Unlike other systems in the body, the immune system is not a single structure. It is a complex biological structure that consists of the organs, white blood cells, proteins, and chemicals that help the body fight diseases and to keep itself healthy.

An imbalance in the immune system and cause multiple acute and chronic ailments. The main parts of the immune system include organs, white blood cells, antibodies, complement system, lymphatic system, spleen, thymus, and bone marrow. 

The immune system is embedded with memory retention. It retains the record of every foreign body that enters the body and keeps a check on every infection it has prevented. This helps the immune system recognize and react to the same body or infection when it occurs again.

The immune system is the body’s line of defense. The immune system primarily consists of the white blood cells. These cells captain the system and are also called memory cells. They are created in the bone marrow and part of the lymphatic system.

The white blood cells detect the disease-causing microbe or antigen and prevent it by multiplying itself to fight the same. The white blood cells move through the bloodstream and travel around the body to heal it.

This prevents the antigen from entering the body and invading it. Each time the microbe or antigen mutates and produces a different strain, the immune system has to fight it from scratch.  

A person’s immunity depends on factors such as genetics, age, lifestyle, health, and occupation. Generally, a fit and healthy lifestyle coupled with low stress is vital for good immunity.

There are three types of immunity, innate, active, and passive. Innate immunity is the inherent immune capacity of the body. It is the body’s primary line of defense.

Active immunity is induced into the body artificially through vaccines or medicines. This is called adaptive immunity and usually stays for a specified duration.

Passive immunity is the immunity that is passed on from mothers to infants or through blood products containing such antibodies. 

How To Strengthen Immunity?

A fit and healthy lifestyle with low stress is the best way to strengthen immunity. However, this is only possible for some of us. The first question that plagues our minds is whether it can enhance the immune system.

Over the years, researchers have studied different methods of nutrition, exercise, supplements, and even sleep to study their impact on immunity. This has led to the conclusion that a few changes in our current lifestyle can go a long way in improving our immunity and relieving us from diseases caused due to immune balance.

While some illnesses are chronic and may not have a permanent cure, these changes do help to lessen their symptoms and impact our health. Immunity is not just confined to physical immunity. It also includes our mental and emotional well-being. Following the tips for physical health is of no consequence if we do not have good mental and emotional health. 

Some tips that can help us improve our immunity are:

1. Eat Healthy 

One of the primary steps to improve our immunity is to bring nutritional changes to our lifestyle. Eating healthy does not mean losing weight. It means eating a nutritionally balanced meal every day and giving the body its daily dose of vitamins and minerals through good food.

A healthy diet includes carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fiber. It includes freshly cooked foods that are low in calories, cholesterol, saturated fats, and sugars. 

2. Know Your Portion

The quantity of food consumed is as important as its quality. It is always good to regulate portion size despite the health benefits. Always ensure that you eat just enough to satiate your hunger. It is always wise to fill the stomach just a little less than optimum.

3. Consume Immunity-enhancing Foods

There are many foods that help a great deal in improving immunity. Some of the best immunity-boosting foods are:

4. Hydrate With H2O

Water, water everywhere and all the time. It is important to keep the body hydrated. This ensures that the toxins are removed from the body and that it remains healthy, supple, and strong. 

5. Supplement Your Diet

For some people, a nutritious diet alone will not give them the necessary supplements. Their body may find it difficult to absorb the nutrients due to multiple factors such as age, genetics, or existing illnesses.

Thus it is very important that we supplement our body with essential nutrients. These supplements are available as capsules, tablets, oils, etc. It is always best to consult a qualified medical professional before taking supplements to avoid any side effects or allergies. 

6. Move Around

These days most of us have a sedentary lifestyle with very less movement. Healthy living involves constant movements and a strict fitness regime. You do not have to indulge in a difficult or strenuous workout session.

It can be a daily walk or dancing. But it is important for the body to stretch and strengthen. Further, this helps to improve metabolism, reduce anxiety and even help with sleep disorders. 

7. Maintain A Healthy Weight

While the present trend is to have a slim and toned body, it is more important to maintain a healthy weight. The weight of a person depends on their BMI.

This differs between individuals. Obesity is a rising concern among children and adults today. This has given rise to many illnesses such as cholesterol, hypertension, cardiac illnesses, etc.

8. Develop Healthy Habits

A healthy lifestyle includes healthy habits. It is important to quit smoking, regulate or give up on alcohol and quit recreational drugs. These are habits that damage the body and impair it from within. 

9. Do Not Skip The Snooze

The importance of sleep cannot be stressed enough. The body and mind need ample amounts of rest to function properly and regenerate. Sleep loss can trigger a variety of health defects and immunity concerns.

10. Reduce Stress

There have been many scientific studies that focus on the impact of stress on immunity. A healthy and balanced lifestyle includes stress inhibition. This may be done by way of meditation or indulging in any relaxing activities. 

11. Hygiene And Safety

When it comes to healthy living hygiene is the most underrated point discussed. But it is probably the most important. All other tips and tricks do not matter if you do not follow a hygienic and safe life.

Taking care of the body through cleanliness, order, and safety is important but so is taking care of our surroundings. The right to a hygienic and safe life and living is the basic right of a human being and it is our duty to maintain the same. 

12. Approach with caution

The importance of immunity-boosting has led to the invention and innovation of different supplements, oils, and procedures that claim to improve immunity. While some may be medically approved, it is always best to approach these with caution.

Do not give in to the fad. Not everyone may get the same result. Hence, it is best to consult a medical professional about these medications, supplements, or procedures before using them. 

13. Vaccination Is Not A Joke

We must understand that the world today has evolved disastrously in terms of quality of life. There are many illnesses that have mutated and are wreaking havoc on human health. Thus, it is important to vaccinate ourselves against the same. 

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