Ways And Means To Boost Your Body Immunity

With a pandemic sweeping across the globe, it becomes all the more important to understand how to strengthen your immune system. A strong immune system will help you to resist all diseases as well as enable speedy recovery in instances of acquired infections.

Some of the relevant and proven methods for the same are:

·         Sleep: Our body is like a machine. When we are awake it starts working but when we sleep, the metabolic activities reduce and almost all mechanisms get rest. This gears them up and they are ready to resume their activities when we wake up. But without sleep, all systems tend to function at reduced capacities and when our immune system gets weakened, we become susceptible to infections. Thus sleeping for adequate hours is very important for boosting our immune system.

·         Exercise: In this lockdown period when activity is limited due to limitations placed to contain the coronavirus, we tend to become lax and give our exercise routine a miss. But it is very important to opt for moderate exercise sessions so that:

o   The immune system gets a boost and can regenerate with regularity,

o   There is a proper flow of oxygen into the cells,

o   The heart and muscles keep functioning properly,

o   The lungs can function to full capacity,

o   Stress levels get reduced etc.

A brisk walk, on the spot jogging, free-hand exercises, yoga etc., are some exercises which can be practised even when staying home to keep our body healthy.

·         Food: This forms an important part of all how to boost your immune system processes we follow. Food forms a large part of our daily routine and it is from the food we intake that our body cells and organs absorb their required nutrients. Thus we should ensure a well-balanced diet consisting mainly of:

o   Whole plant foods: Fruits, legumes, vegetables, nuts and seeds are nutrient-rich and hence enable our bodies to fight harmful pathogens and prevent their entry. Antioxidants present in them reduce inflammation by reducing the presence of free radicals while the fibre present in these whole plant food aids in the working of the gut microbiome present in our gut. These whole plant foods are also the source of many important vitamins like Vitamin C which play an important role in boosting our immunity.

o   Healthy fats: Fats are known to have a detrimental effect on the heart but healthy monounsaturated fats like those present in olive oil, salmon, chia seeds etc., are very good for our immune system. They are anti-inflammatory and also reduce the risk of acquiring chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases etc.

o   Fermented food or probiotic supplements: Probiotics are good bacteria present in our digestive tract. A good, healthy and flourishing community of the same enables our immune system to actively differentiate between healthy cells and those that have been invaded. Thus there is a strong connection between the gut health and a healthy immune system. Fermented foods like kimchi, yoghurt etc., thus need to be a part of our daily diet. Taking in probiotic supplements is also a good alternative.

o   Limiting sugars: refined carbohydrates and added sugars lead to obesity which increases our risk to microbial infections. A diet with lower sugar levels forms an important part of all how to improve your immune system routines. Limiting the intake of sugar in our daily diet also helps prevent the onset of chronic health conditions which ultimately result in a compromised immune system.

There was a time when we looked at a cure where our health was concerned. Today the focus is on prevention. Adopting the above-mentioned lifestyle and dietary changes will give our immune system a boost thereby preventing the onset of diseases.