The importance of having a strong immune system has been highlighted in the past two years since the COVID pandemic took over the world.
But, regardless of the pandemic, building a great immune system is key to good health. Being able to fight off harmful microorganisms prevents you from getting ill or reduces the severity of your symptoms if you do get sick.
Exposure to potentially harmful viruses over the course of your naturally builds up your immunity, but there are lots of ways in which you can give your immune system a helping hand.
Here are some of the top ways to boost your immune system and decrease your chances of getting ill this winter.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Getting adequate amounts of each micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) in your diet is important to boost your immune function. Deficiencies in certain micronutrients are closely linked to poor immune function and I’m teased frequency and severity of illness.
A healthy and well-balanced diet supports the production and maintenance of immune cells. The antioxidant properties of specific vitamins and minerals prevent damage to the immune cells by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
In particular, the following key nutrients are required for optimal immune function.
- Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant that reduces cell damage caused by oxygen free radicals.
- Vitamin D aids the absorption of other key nutrients.
- Zinc works alongside vitamin C to boost the function of the immune cells.
- Glutathione is an amino acid that acts as a powerful antioxidant to decrease inflammation and oxidative damage.
Focusing on a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables will ensure you obtain sufficient amounts of these key nutrients. However, if you’re struggling to eat your 5-a-day, consider boosting immunity with IV vitamin therapy.
Exercise Regularly
Physical activity and movement are important as part of a healthy lifestyle. Regular movement can improve heart health and enhance the circulation of blood around your body.
Your immune cells are transported around your body via blood, scanning for potentially harmful pathogens or infected cells. When they come into contact with foreign material in the blood, they respond rapidly and activate an immune response.
Engaging in around 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day can boost your immune system and keep your cardiovascular and immune systems as healthy and responsive as possible.
Get Adequate Sleep
Sleep and immunity are very closely linked. Those who get poor sleep (fewer than six hours a night) are more likely to get sick and have an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Many of your protective immune cells are produced during your sleep. The body creates T cell lymphocytes that destroy viral particles and infected cells when you’re ill.
Sleep can also bolster the production of memory B cells, meaning your body is able to keep a specific memory of certain harmful pathogens. If you’re reinfected with the same pathogens in the future, your immune system can then respond more quickly to destroy these pathogens before they cause you to get ill.