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Immune system: 5 proven ways to boost your immunity
Keeping your immune system in top shape is essential for healthy living. Here, we share a few tips to help boost your immunity.
No matter how we look at it, a strong immune system is essential for your overall health.
Your body may function at peak levels, and your heart and other vital organs may also perform their respective duties with optimum efficiency. However, your health will still fail if your body’s immunity is not in good shape.
The body’s immune system plays the most important role in helping you fight off diseases and illnesses. The main jobs undertaken by this complex system include:
- Defending the body against pathogens that cause diseases like viruses, fungi, parasites, and harmful bacteria, and getting rid of these pathogens,
- Detecting and counteracting external, toxic substances that enter the body from the environment,
- Combatting harmful changes within the body, such as when cancer cells form.
It is critical to keep your body’s immune health in top shape. So, we have compiled a few ways that you can do exactly that.
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The right diet is essential for a healthy immune system
There are certain foods that are especially effective at boosting the immune system. On the other hand, there are foods that can cause harm to your immunity and health.
The trick is tweaking your diet slightly to incorporate more immunity-boosting foods and reduce the harmful ones.
According to research published in 2016, the immune system greatly benefits from foods that are rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants are highly effective at reducing inflammation and defending the body against free radicals.
Whole plant foods such as fruits and vegetables are great sources of antioxidants, among other nutrients. Other good sources include legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids are also known for improving the body’s immune response to inflammation-causing pathogens.
A 2017 research found that healthy fats found in olive oil effectively help decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory properties also aid the body in fending against viruses and harmful viruses.
Other good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are salmon and chia seeds.
In terms of what to remove from your diet to benefit your immune health: added sugars are harmful.
Added sugars contribute to obesity and overweight like no other. Completely cutting out or at least reducing your intake of foods containing added sugar is one of the best choices you can make for not just a healthy immune system but your overall wellbeing.
Cutting down on your intake of added sugar and saturated fats can reduce inflammation and help you lose weight. In turn, you are likely to be less at risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, according to research.
Good sleep is good for your immunity
Getting enough sleep is quite vital if you want to sustain a healthy immune system.
You are more likely to fall sick if you do not get sufficient sleep or if your sleep quality is poor.
This study found that individuals who were getting fewer than 6 hours of sleep every night were more susceptible to catching a cold compared to people who were sleeping for 6 or more hours.
Moreover, this 2019 research suggests that sleeping more during bouts of sickness helps your immune system to rid of the illness better.
Essentially, regularly getting plenty of sleep is a great way to ensure that your immunity is functioning at peak capacity.
Make sure you are always hydrated
While hydration itself does not boost your immunity, not being dehydrated does.
When you become dehydrated, many aspects of your health are affected negatively, such as your heart and kidney functions, your physical performance, mood, concentration, and digestion, among others.
According to this study, all of these factors can result in a weakened immune system making you more prone to falling ill.
While juice, tea, and other beverages will quench your thirst and hydrate you, water is always the healthiest source of hydration.
Exercise will help boost your immune system
Moderate exercises like jogging, cycling, walking, and swimming are very effective immunity boosters.
This study shows that engaging in moderate exercise on a regular basis can help lessen inflammation as well as help restore immune cells.
Furthermore, vaccines are more effective in individuals with compromised immune systems even when they complete even a single session of moderate exercise. Refer to this study for more information.
Make sure you are getting the right vitamins
Studies have shown that certain vitamins and minerals are highly beneficial for your immune system. Whether it is via food or supplements, your body must be supplied with all the required vitamins.
A 2013 study found that individuals who took 1000-2000 mg of vitamin C supplements daily suffered from a cold for a significantly decreased duration.
Vitamin D is essential for good immune health, according to this study. Vitamin D deficiency is highly detrimental to your immunity.
If your body does not receive sufficient amounts of vitamin D, you become considerably more prone to falling ill.
Other vitamins that help maintain immune health include:
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin A
- Folic acid
- Iron
- Selenium
- Zinc
How VIVO Clinic can help boost your immune system
In order to be sure that you are getting the right nutrients to improve your immunity, it is very important to understand what your body may be lacking.
We offer several tests that can be suitable for this, check out our tests below to find the right one for you.
Keep reading: 5 easy steps to a healthy heart
Understand your body better
General Health MOT
£136.00A simple blood test that helps rule out an expansive list of health conditions.
Men’s Health MOT
£196.00The ideal blood test for men that provides an overall view of their general wellbeing.
Women’s Health MOT
£206.00A blood test that covers all the essential areas of overall female health.
Might your body have a vitamin deficiency?
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