6 Tips to Boost your Immune System Naturally
As the weather changes and we head to another season, it is vital to boost your immune system. The immune system is a complex network of proteins and cells that help fight infections and viruses. The stronger is the immune system, the better equipped we are to prevent getting sick or shorten the illness duration. Keep in mind these six tips to building immunity naturally:
1. Mix up Your Plate
There is not any specific food to maintain your immunity. You have to mix several foods in your daily diet to fend off viruses and bacteria. Since vitamins are important for keeping our immune system healthy, you can take them in the form of various healthy foods.
You can have a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts. These foods are good to reduce systemic inflammation. Even allium-containing food ingredients like scallions, garlic and onion are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect on our body. You may even enjoy the foods raw or cooked, as you like. Even protein is important.
You can have both plant and animal-based protein for building and repairing cells and tissues. That’s how they play a major role in defending against foreign invaders.
2. Keep Yourself Hydrated
People often focus more on food and it is important too. But another line of defence against illness-causing viruses is our mucus membranes. It is important to keep them moist to ensure they perform the best. The mouth, nose and eyes are the protective liners that act as nightclub bouncers against various unwanted guests.
Some of the body’s organs like reproductive parts and stomach are also lined by mucus membranes. Therefore, you must have at least 8 glasses of water every day. Or consult your nutritionist for the right amount of water intake as per your body.
3. Don’t Depend on Supplements
Never use supplements to replace healthy foods. You can check in with the medical team as some supplements like vitamin D are important to prevent certain nutritional deficiencies. So, don’t confuse natural foods with any supplements. You can have supplements, along with a healthy diet. But don’t consider replacing vitamin-rich food with supplements.
Make sure to consult your dietician for healthy foods and supplements. Or include probiotics in your diet in the form of yoghurt or curd to improve better gut health and immunity.
4. Check Your Vitamin D Levels
Vitamin D not only has strong benefits but also keeps macrophages and T cells strong. Instead of consuming this nutrient from food, humans can take this vitamin from the sun. But in winters when there is less sun, you can consider including vitamin D supplements in your diet. Or you can consider having vitamin D-rich foods to boost immunity. But consult your doctor to check your vitamin D levels.
5. Exercise
Exercise is another important thing to keep your immune system healthy and viruses at bay. It even slows down the release of stress hormones. After all, stress harms our immunity. So, you need to reduce stress with exercises to reap the benefits. You can indulge yourself in strength-building workouts, such as lifting weights or yoga.
6. Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is also an important factor for building immunity. When we sleep, our immune system releases some proteins to strengthen the defence system in our body. So, you need to catch up with some naps in the daytime as well. But keep them under 30 minutes to ensure that your circadian rhythm does not break.
Conclusion
If you feel stuck in a situation where you don’t know how to strengthen your immunity, you can take the help of these external tips. The given tips are simple but effective to boost your immune system. After all, one needs to incorporate these healthy habits in life for better health.
Also, Read this: 11 Common Food Items to Boost Immunity
