Best Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System
The events over the last couple of years have made all of us think more about our health. We have become more aware of the fact that long-term stress, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, etc. have a horrible long-term effect on our body and mind, even though we may feel completely good while eating fast food every day. Moreover, we know now better than ever how important our body’s natural defense systems are and how proper lifestyle habits can help us easily overcome or completely defend ourselves from different diseases. So, we can say that it is of utter importance to have a solid immune system. Here are some of the best ways in which you can boost your natural immunity.
Take care of your gut and digestive tract
We can all agree that, when speaking about improving our immune system, we rarely think about our gut. However, this is a huge mistake, as gut bacteria and gut flora have a large influence on how we feel. Thus, to keep everything running smoothly and to be healthy, we should take probiotics. You can take them in the form of supplements, but a much better and even tastier option can be to eat yoghurt, kimchi, or to replace your sodas with refreshing kombucha. All of these foods and drinks are rich in probiotics which are basically the good bacteria that help your body defend itself against illnesses. Furthermore, if you tend to have a diet that doesn’t include a lot of veggies and fruits and lacks fiber, you will want to do a cleanse. Your digestive tract will be grateful if you opt for a natural colon cleanse one day that will help clear the toxins from your intestinal wall and remove any waste, resulting in everything moving and functioning properly. Having a healthy digestive system is important for our immune system, but some research say that it also has an influence on our mental health. So, don’t forget to do a cleanse from time to time, and make sure that you go for one that is made from natural and organic ingredients.
Get enough sleep
Not having the proper amount of sleep or not having a regular sleeping schedule has a lot on negative effects of us, one of them being that our natural immunity cannot function properly in these cases and we get more prone to getting ill and sick. That is why you should do your best to sleep at least 7 hours per night and always go to bed at the relatively same time. This may be more difficult for some people who have trouble falling asleep, so they really don’t have a sleeping schedule. To avoid this, you may want to try limiting your screen time before bed, so no phone or TV at least an hour before bedtime. Also, don’t eat any heavy meals and don’t drink coffee late in the evening or at night. Exercising will help your body get tired, while it will also help you get rid of the daily stress, which will make it much easier to fall asleep.
Be active
Exercising is beneficial for good-quality sleep but it also boosts our natural defense systems. Experts advise doing moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, riding a bike, etc, and doing them on a regular basis. This can help our body deal with any inflammation and also, help our immune cells to regenerate. So, even when you are tired and not in a really good mood, find the motivation to put on some comfy sweatpants and trainers, and go for a light walk around your neighborhood. It is guaranteed that you will instantly feel much better, you will sleep better, and your immunity will get a good boost.
Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water has multiple benefits for our health. In general, water helps our body function properly, while on the other hand, not staying hydrated can weaken our natural immunity and lead us to feel very poorly. Being dehydrated causes symptoms like headaches, tiredness, trouble with staying concentrated, disturbs our regular heart rate, influences our blood pressure as well as digestion. All of this then results in poor immunity and we become more prone to catching viruses and bacteria. Thus, you should always drink when feeling thirsty and even if you are quite busy during the day, you should do your best to remember to have a glass of water from time to time (which is a much better option than sugary drinks like sodas and some juices). This is especially important during hot weather, when exercising, or doing heavy physical work.
To sum up, we can say that our natural defense systems are crucial for our overall well-being. If we take care of our lifestyle habits and do our best to nurture and boost our natural immunity, we can count on having less trouble and having a quicker recovery, if we do eventually get sick. So, follow the above-mentioned tips and enjoy being healthy and feeling amazing.