Whether you’re panicking about a current situation or want to avoid getting sick generally, figuring out how to do it can be tricky. So many supplements claim they’ll keep you healthy, but many fail to live up to the task. What’s the answer to avoiding illness? Strengthening your immune system. Continue reading to learn how to build your immune system.
The methods below are simple enough for anyone to use, regardless of age or current health level.
How to Build Your Immune System
What Does the Immune System Really Do?
You likely hear a lot about strengthening your immune system these days, so you aren’t as likely to get sick.
But what does the immune system really do and why is it so important?
The immune system is your body’s defense against illness and disease.
You can think about the system as your internal bodyguard. Its entire job is to keep you healthy, and it does this by fighting off foreign entities it finds.
These foreign entities are anything that the immune system believes doesn’t belong.
Usually, they include bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Occasionally, the immune system can be triggered by something natural, and this is what causes immune diseases.
A healthy immune system needs specific things to function correctly.
You can build up your immune system using the following useful tips.
Eat a Healthy Diet and Drink Plenty of Water
Many of the things necessary to build a robust immune system are the same advice you’ll hear elsewhere.
This includes eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water.
Some foods are great for the immune system specifically.
Try incorporating these into your daily meals.
These foods include:
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Bell Peppers
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Yogurt
- Turmeric
- Almonds
These are only a few examples.
The best way to ensure your body is getting everything it needs is to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Also, remember to drink at least 8 cups of water each day.
Stay Active
Staying active is generally good for your health.
Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce your risk of many serious illnesses.
Foremost among those are heart disease and diabetes.
Staying active also has a direct effect on your immune system.
By getting moderate amounts of exercise, you cause your body to circulate antibodies and white blood cells more quickly.
The activity also lowers levels of stress hormones in your body, which reduces your chance of getting sick.
Even a daily walk around the block a few times can prove beneficial.
Learn to Manage Your Stress Levels
When there are too many stress hormones in your body, it increases your likelihood of getting ill.
Avoiding stress isn’t always possible.
Learning healthy coping mechanisms for stress, however, can help significantly.
A few ideas for healthy ways to help manage your stress levels include:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Writing in a journal
- Practicing mindful breathing techniques
- Coloring in an adult coloring book
- Getting outside in nature
- Talking to a trusted friend or loved one
- Seeking a professional therapist for periods of intense stress
- Finding a new hobby you enjoy
- Reading a book
- Watching a funny movie
- Daydreaming
These ideas aren’t all-inclusive.
The idea is to find something that helps you healthily deal with stress.
What works for one person doesn’t always work for another.
Get Enough Sleep
The time you sleep is like a “restart” for your body.
Your body systems (including the immune) get a chance to focus on the most basic tasks since you aren’t up and moving.
Even your breathing is slowed during sleep.
A 2015 study in Sleep Journal proved getting enough sleep is vital for your immune system (Medical News).
The study compared people who received at least seven hours of sleep to those who got six or fewer hours each night.
The people who averaged more sleep each night were four times less likely to get sick than those who got less sleep.
Aim for at least seven hours of restful sleep each night to keep your immune system strong.
Take Thymosin
Thymosin is something that comes naturally from your thymus.
The thymus is a part of your immune system that creates T-cells.
This type of white blood cell is vital in fighting off pathogens, and they naturally decrease as you age.
Taking a daily dose of thymus might help your immune system get stronger and provides many other useful benefits.
This is especially true as you age.
A few of the potential benefits of thymus supplementation include:
- Healing quicker
- Decreasing inflammation in the body
- Fighting off viral infections
- Having healthier, more youthful skin
If you’ve noticed a decline in how quickly your body heals or fights off infections, thymosin may be the answer you’re looking for.
Take Vitamin D and C
Many supplements on the market are supposed to boost your immune system.
Many of them haven’t been proven to work.
But vitamin C and vitamin D are both beneficial for the immune system.
Taking a daily dose of Vitamin D is especially useful if you don’t get outside much.
The primary way people get this vitamin is by being outside, where the sun can shine down on your skin.
Vitamin C can help you fight off colds before they happen.
It’s important to note, however, it isn’t generally useful if you’re already sick.
CBD Edibles
With the popularity of cannabis, CBD (cannabidiol) is equally on the rise.
As a cannabis compound or cannabinoid, CBD is an effective holistic therapy treatment for many ailments, including lupus, an autoimmune disorder.
While CBD oil has been used for quite some time, CBD edibles are very popular this year because most people stay at home and are under quarantine.
Many people find cooking a great hobby or bonding moment.
Adult family members who want to take advantage of holistic therapy through CBD consumption can search for the best CBD edible recipes to cook and infuse them with CBD oil or tincture.
You can infuse CBD oil in desserts, main dishes, and beverages.
Online-assisted Exercises
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, exercising outdoors can be restricted, so online-assisted exercises are highly recommended.
There are many tutorials on social media, like Facebook and YouTube, on different exercises, including the following:
- Zumba
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Strengthening exercises
- Aerobic exercises
Take Advantage of Telemedicine
Are you restricted or afraid of going to the hospital or doctor’s clinic because of the coronavirus threat?
With the help of apps like Skype, Zoom, or telemedicine apps, you can take advantage of telehealth or telemedicine.
These digital technologies can help you connect with doctors who give health education, diagnose diseases, and prescribe medications online.
Check out the benefits of telehealth or telemedicine:
You don’t have to be physically present in the doctor’s clinic to get assessed because of visual assessment (done online).
Just make sure to have good lighting inside the room so the doctor can assess your signs and symptoms, like skin rashes, joint swelling, and other alterations.
Patients can easily talk to their doctors online without leaving home.
Any laboratory assessment required can also be carried out at home through in-home laboratory services.
Do You Have More Questions on How to Build Your Immune System?
There are many simple ways to build your immune system. Many of the same methods of building your immune system are great for your body and health as a whole.
Do you have more questions on how to build your immune system? Feel free to check out our other blog posts. You’ll find information on a variety of related topics.