Your immune system is one of the most valuable things you can be concerned with in terms of your health. It is this that fights off any intruders into your body like bacteria or viruses. In fact, that is why you get sick when you are ill. It is the side effect of your body killing and neutralizing the nasties that shouldn't be there. But your immune system sometimes needs a little helping hand, especially if you don't always live the healthiest of lives. So read on to find out what you can do to give your immune system a little boost every now and then.
Diet
If the phrase you are what you eat is true, then we really need to make sure that we are eating healthy whole foods as much as possible. These types of food are particularly useful for your immune system as the healthiest food are often fruits and vegetable. Which, of course, contain essential nutrients and vitamins like B12 and Vitamin C which can help to improve its performance.
In particular, anything with antioxidants can help your immune system as they collect the dangerous free radicals in your body. Free radicals can cause premature aging and illness. Try pomegranates, spinach, and green tea to start. Also, to add a little variety, why not consume juices made from fruits which are full of antioxidants and vitamin C as well.
Of course, there are other food items that can be beneficial for your immune system as well. These include oily fish.
This is because oily fish, like salmon and mackerel contain omega 3 essential acids and zinc (neither of which the body can make on its own), which are vital to helping your body repair its damaged cells. This is ultimately helps you avoid disease and illness.
Exercise
Exercise doesn’t just help you burn calories and lose weight, it is also beneficial for your immune system.
For instance, our body temperature usually rises when we exercise, which can help stop the growth of any bacterial infection in our body, making it a lot easier to fight illness off.
It can also help flush out your lungs and airways, making sure you are taking in fewer bacteria and viruses into the body.
Exercise is also good as it can help lower stress. This is in part because it allows you the cathartic experience of physically working through your problems. Stress is also known to weaken the immune system, so by working out you are boosting it as well.
Smoking
Everyone know that smoking is super bad for you. In particular, it is awful for your immune system. First of all, the tissues in your lungs and airway are delicate, and smoking hurts this, making it much more vulnerable to infection.
Smoking also kills off the antibodies that your body uses to fight infections. This means when you do get ill, your immune system can't get rid of the infection as well, so you are sick for a longer period of time.
Smoking is also terrible for your immune system because it can actually confuse it into thinking that your own cells are threats. This results in them being broken down and not being able to function properly, which is known as autoimmune disease.
To have the best immune system possible, you absolutely have to give up smoking.
Probiotics
Probiotics are another way to boost how well your immune system functions. Probiotics are the good bacteria that you already have in your body that help it function correctly. They do this by helping the food you eat travel through your stomach and intestines.
Unfortunately, sometimes due to illness or medication, the balance of good to bad bacteria can be altered. When this happens, we don't have enough of the ones that we do need. That is when taking a probiotic can be useful.
You can get probiotic in pill form, or there are many dairy-based drinks on the market that are designed to be taken daily. If you choose to go down this route, you will have to work out what is the most practical and economical form for you to get the good bacteria back into your system.
Supplements
There are also many other supplements that are known to have a positive effect on the immune system and help it to function at its best.
One of these is Vitamin B17, otherwise known as Amygdalin, or Laetrile. This is a substance that is made from crushed fruit stones such as apricots. It is very helpful to the body, as it breaks down and flushes out harmful cells that shouldn't be there. In fact, some folks believe it works so good at doing this that it can help in cancer prevention and treatment.
There are also some more generalized supplements on the market that can help boost your immune system. These usually contain a mix of vitamins like B12 and B6, as well as zinc and calcium, which have all been shown to have a beneficial effect on the immune system.
Sleep
Sleep is also something that should be monitored carefully if you are trying to improve your immune system. This is because all sorts of crucial functions in our bodies happen while we are asleep.
These include the detoxification of our organs, such as the liver and kidneys, as well as the creation of cells, hormones, and other chemicals that do the work of fighting off infection in our day to day lives.
Of course, that means the less sleep we get, the worse our body will be at doing these things.
This can result in it being a lot easier to get ill in the first place, and we may even end up being ill for longer too.
It is also worth noting the immune and sleep system are also linked in another way. That means that your immune system sometimes dictates how much sleep you body actually gets. As they are so closely related it show just how valuable it can be to tend to both to be healthy.
Hand washing
A very basic way of giving your immune system ‘a hand’ is to be through with your hand washing. Most bacteria and germs are spread by physical contact. Combine this with the fact the many folks cover over their mouth with their hands when they cough or sneeze. Or use their hand to wipe when they go to the toilet, and you can see how folks can spread disease pretty quick.
Following the correct guidelines for washing your hands can help you kill off most of the nasties on your hands. As well as giving your immune system less to fight off. Or you can use some portable hand sanitizer if you are on the go.
Alternative therapies
Some alternative therapies are believed to be useful in giving the immune system a leg up when it need its. In particular, acupuncture is used for this. Which is the study and treatment of diseases through the method of energy pathways in the body.
This is a therapy that is base on old Chinese view of the body and how it works. Which includes that there are several different lines of energy that flow through the body. By tapping into these with acupuncture needles, it is believed that any block can be removed. Which will restore the patient to full health.
Some theories suggest that this works because the body see the needle as something that shouldn't be there. Which in turn trigger the immune response so fighting off any bacteria and virus present.
Although there is still some controversy as to whether these therapies have merit in causing direct physical changes in the body. As many other theories suggest that you see an improvement in immune response because they reduce anxiety and stress.
Also, some theories suggest that acupuncture may provide a powerful placebo effect. Where patients believe that it is doing good, so the body behaves like that. Even though it is not the actual treatment that is effective.
Also, complementary therapies are popular in dealing with autoimmune disease. These are diseases that are caused by the body attacking its own tissue and organs like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and MS.
This is, however, believed to be because of their ability to reduce stress and so reduce the severity of the immune response. Which is is the route of the problem.
Herbal remedies
Lastly, many people also choose to take specific herbal remedy to help their immune system function as well as possible.
The most popular one has got to be Echinacea. Made from flowers, this herbal remedy is known to be a natural antibiotic and antihistamine. So not only do it help to get rid of the bacteria in your system that could be making your ill. But it also helps to calm the histamine or immune reaction that can cause problems as well.
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