Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can result in mild to severe illness in people of all ages. Influenza (flu) is a common cause of pneumonia, especially among younger children, the elderly, pregnant women, or those with certain chronic health conditions. Pneumonia as a flu complication tends to be more severe and deadly. People with weak immune system are more likely to get pneumonia.
A strong immune system can help prevent pneumonia. You can keep your immune system strong by taking the following steps:
Eat a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Avoid saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
Be physically active. Regular physical activity helps you feel better, sleep better, and reduce anxiety. Combined with eating well, physical activity can help a person maintain a healthy weight. Being physically active helps protect you from the flu. Emerging research also suggests that physical activity may potentially benefit immunity.
Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight can affect how your body functions. Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more in adults, is linked to impaired immune functions. Obesity may also lower vaccine effectiveness for numerous diseases, including influenza, hepatitis B and tetanus.
Get enough sleep. Sleep loss can negatively affect different parts of the immune system, which can lead to the development of a wide variety of disorders.
Quit smoking. Smoking can make the body less successful at fighting disease and increases the risk for immune system problems.
Avoid too much alcohol. Over time, excessive alcohol use can weaken the immune system.
Aside from adopting a healthy lifestyle, getting vaccinated can also help protect you from pneumonia. Studies show that pneumococcal vaccination, especially of high-risk individuals, is associated with fewer hospitalizations for pneumonia, fewer deaths, and direct medical care cost savings.
Book your family’s pneumococcal vaccination now by visiting https://www.vaccination.watsons.com.ph/.
References: https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/riskfactors.html. Accessed 4 August 2023 https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/what-is-the-connection#:~:text=Influenza%20is%20a%20common%20cause,be%20more%20severe%20and%20deadly. Accessed 15 August 2023 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2799225?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamainternmed.2022.5472. Accessed 4 August 2023 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10198-021-01343-8. Accessed 4 August 2023 https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/pneumonia/prevention#:~:text=You%20can%20take%20a%20few,your%20risk%20of%20getting%20pneumonia. Accessed 11 October 2023 https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/enhance-immunity/index.html#:~:text=Vaccines%2C%20such%20as%20the%20flu,and%20avoiding%20excessive%20alcohol%20use. Accessed 11 October 2023
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