Easy Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System

Your immune system is your body’s natural defense network that protects you against disease-causing bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and other pathogens. To stay healthy, you need a strong and optimally functioning immune system.

Here are easy ways to strengthen your immune system:

Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and veggies. Make sure your diet includes the following immune-boosting foods: citrus fruits, red bell peppers, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, yogurt, almonds, sunflower seeds, turmeric, green tea, papaya, kiwi, poultry, and shellfish.

Get 7 or more hours of sleep each night. Adequate sleep is absolutely vital to maintain a strong immune system. Lack of sleep can make you vulnerable to illnesses, including colds, flu, and other infections. Long-term, poor-quality sleep has been shown to increase the risk of other health problems, including obesity and diabetes.

Engage in moderate exercise. Moderate exercise can boost your immune system while prolonged intense exercise can suppress it. Examples of moderate exercise include brisk walking, steady bicycling, jogging, swimming, and light hiking. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Studies indicate that just one session of moderate exercise can boost the effectiveness of vaccines in people with compromised immune systems. Moreover, moderate exercise done regularly may reduce inflammation and help your immune cells regenerate regularly.

Manage stress. Long-term stress weakens your immune system. It promotes inflammation and disrupts immune cell function. Prolonged stress and anxiety can make you vulnerable to infections and other serious diseases.

To manage stress, try meditation, deep breathing exercises for relaxation, regular exercise, journaling, yoga, and other mindfulness practices.

Supplement wisely. Studies indicate that certain supplements may strengthen your body’s general immune response. These include B complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, echinacea, garlic, selenium, and acai berry.

Consult your doctor for more information on strengthening your immune system and whether supplementation is right for you.

Shop at Watsons for prescription medications and other essential healthcare needs.

References:

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/how-use-your-immune-system-stay-healthy. Accessed 30 July 2021
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/foods-that-boost-the-immune-system. Accessed 30 July 2021
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-boost-immune-health#1.-Get-enough-sleep. Accessed 30 July 2021
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/how-sleep-affects-immunity. Accessed 30 July 2021
https://www.medicinenet.com/covid_19_supplements/article.htm. Accessed 30 July 2021