The immune system does a remarkable job of defending your body against disease-causing microorganisms. But how will your body cope up with illness if your immune system is weak? The immune system is made up of skin, bone marrow, tissues, and organs. They work together to protect your body. So, if you are wondering how to boost the immune system naturally, check out the below ways:
How to boost the immune system naturally:
· Healthy Diet – Nutrients from food like fruits, vegetables, and herbs are an important part to keep your immune system functioning properly. This is the most common and effective way to boost the immune system naturally.
· Get good sleep – Our body heals and regenerates energy while we sleep. Having adequate sleep is important for a healthy immune system. When we sleep, the body produces and distributes important immune cells like cytokines, T cells and interleukin 12. If you don’t get enough sleep your body may not get these important cells and it may reduce your ability to defend from illness.
· Regular Exercise – Regular exercise helps to boost the immune system naturally. Exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases and viral infection. Exercise also releases endorphins, a hormone that helps in the reduction of pain and stress. Stress has a negative impact on our immune system therefore reduction in stress will boost immunity.
· Keep a check on Chronic Conditions – Your Chronic Conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease can affect your immune system. Like people with type 2 diabetes unable to manage their blood sugar properly and this may affect the immune system. Similarly, people with asthma have more chances of getting the flu.
· Stay hydrated – Water has an important role in our body and it also helps in supporting the immune system. Water helps to carry important cells to every part of the body. A dehydrated body may slow down the movement of cells and this will affect the immune system in a negative way.
How to boost the immune system quickly?
Now you know the ways on how to boost the immune system naturally, so check out some ways that can help you to boost your immune system very fast. Follow the below mentioned ways on how to boost immune system quickly, and you will see tremendous results:
· Bone Broth – Bone broth is a liquid with brewed bones of chicken or fish. It is full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Bone broth helps in improving the digestive system. You can add garlic in bone broth for its antiviral properties and cinnamon, turmeric, or ginger for a speedy recovery.
· Vitamin C – Vitamin C is very helpful in fighting infections. You can increase your intake of vitamin C by eating a good quantity of citrus fruits, kiwi, papayas, berries, and red pepper. This will help in increasing vitamin C levels in the body and helps you in fighting infections and diseases.
· Vitamin D – Vitamin D is very helpful in regulating immune response. During winter days many people become deficient in vitamin D because they stay inside to avoid weather but it is suggested that we need to have some exposure to the sun, at least 15 minutes in a day to fulfill the need for vitamin D in our body.
· Consume Zinc rich foods – To make the immune system more responsive you can intake zinc by zinc rich food items in your regular diet. Pumpkin seeds, spinach and cacao are good sources of zinc.
· Stay Stress free – You need to keep a check on your stress as stress affects the digestive system. Stress increases strain upon the circulatory system and this may lead to increased heart rate. Stress may also lead to rise in blood pressure which certainly affects the immune system. So it is suggested that you need to keep your stress level as low as possible.
Drinks to boost immune system:
Healthy juices, smoothies, and nutritional drinks are one of the tastier ways to stay healthy. Below are some drinks to boost immune system:
· Orange Juice – Orange juice contains enough vitamin C that the body needs for a day. Vitamin C has antioxidants that help to protect body cells from damage. It also helps in wound healing and impaired immune response. Orange juice contains potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9 (Folate), vitamin c, and zinc.
· Green apple and carrot juice – Green apple and carrot are a great combination to help the body to fight infection and diseases. Vitamin A and vitamin B-6 in carrots help in maintaining a good immune system. Green apple and carrot juice contain potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9 (folate), and vitamin C.
· Beetroot and ginger juice – Beetroot and ginger juice help you to maintain a good immune system and decrease inflammatory symptoms. This juice is beneficial for people suffering with rheumatoid arthritis because ginger has anti-inflammatory effects. Beetroot and ginger juice contains potassium, vitamins A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9 (folate) and vitamin C.
· Tomato juice – Tomato juice is full of vitamin B-9 and it helps lower your risk of infections. It also provides a good amount of magnesium, an anti-inflammatory. Tomato Juice contains magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9 (folate), vitamin C and vitamin K.
· Strawberry and kiwi smoothie – Strawberry and kiwi is also a good source of vitamin C. You need to blend Strawberry and kiwi into smoothie rather than a juice and include skim milk. Milk is a good source of vitamin D and protein. Strawberry and kiwi smoothie contains calcium, manganese, potassium, vitamin B-1 (thiamine), vitamin B-6, vitamin B-9 (folate), vitamin B-12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K and Zinc.
Immunity booster foods:
Food is one of the best sources to boost the immune system naturally. Here are some immunity booster foods that can help you to increase your immunity:
· Citrus fruits – Oranges, kiwi and lemon are considered as a good source for vitamin C. This will increase the production of white blood cells and help us to fight infections.
· Red bell peppers – Red bell peppers are a substitute for citrus fruits for those who are trying to avoid sugar in fruits. Along with boosting immunity it will also help to maintain healthy skin and eyes.
· Broccoli – Broccoli is a good source of vitamins and minerals. Broccolis have vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, fiber as well as many other antioxidants. It is among the healthiest things you can have to keep your health fine. Steaming is the best way to keep all the vitamins and minerals while cooking.
· Garlic – Garlic can be used in every cuisine. It will add to the taste as well as it’s good for your health. There are many studies that people who are taking garlic in their diet have fifty percent less chances of catching a cold.
· Ginger – Ginger helps in sore throat, cough, cold and inflammatory illnesses. It also helps in lowering the cholesterol level in the body. It can be used in many dishes, desserts and in tea.
· Spinach – Spinach helps in boosting the immune system. It contains many good nutrients, antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C and vitamin E. vitamin C and vitamin E can help support the immune system and help in increasing ability to fight with disease.
Things to avoid for good immunity:
· Avoid alcohol or consume only in moderation – Consuming high amounts of alcohol may lead to negative health effects and lowered immune function. When you intake a high amount of alcohol your body gets bust to detoxify your system and ultimately it impacts our immune system. Alcohol weakens the immune system and reduces the strength of the immune system to fight diseases.
· Don’t smoke – As like alcohol, smoking cigarettes also affects our immune system, it certainly means anything that is toxin in nature will affect our immune system in negative ways. When you smoke a cigarette some chemicals like carbon monoxide, nicotine, nitrogen oxides, and cadmium are released and they can interfere with the growth of immune cells like cytokines and T cells.
· Reduce stress and anxiety – Stress and anxiety may affect our immune system, reducing stress is an important part to stay healthy and disease free. Exercise, yoga, meditation, journaling and some other mindfulness practices can help to lower your stress level and help keep your immune system functioning properly.
· Limit intake of sugar – More sugar intake may result in overweight and obesity and this may affect your immune system and this will increase the chance of getting sick. Reducing your sugar intake decreases inflammation and results in weight loss, it certainly reduces the risk of chronic health conditions. It will also decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease can weaken your immune system. It is suggested that limiting your sugar intake to less than 5% of your daily calories.
Home remedies to increase immunity:
Do you know you can increase your immunity with the help of some home based remedies? Check out the below home remedies to increase immunity:
· Honey – Honey acts as a natural antibacterial antimicrobial and antioxidant agent that helps the body to fight against viruses and bacteria. Honey also helps in improving the digestive system of the body which helps in improving the immune system of the body. It is also used in cough, cold and sore throat. It is also used as a substitute of sugar for diabetic patients as it helps in maintaining blood sugar level.
· Turmeric – Turmeric contains antioxidants properties which are helpful to maintain a good immune system. It also contains Vitamin B6 and other minerals like iron magnesium and potassium. Turmeric also helps in proper functioning of different body parts. It is suggested to take turmeric with hot milk and with your daily meals.
· Probiotic yogurt – Probiotic yogurt contains many good organisms. It helps in developing antibodies to fight against bacteria and develop white blood cells in the body. Adding yogurt with your daily meals is beneficial for health and you can also consume yogurt smoothies with added fruits. It will help you to boost your immunity.
· Vitamin D – Vitamin D is good to boost the immunity of the body. Everyone should expose their body to early morning sunlight to maintain the level of vitamin D in the body. It is the most common way to maintain vitamin D in the body. It helps you to boost your immune system naturally. You can also add vitamin D rich food in your diet.
· Chocolate – Chocolate helps to maintain cholesterol level in the body. It is suggested that people with high blood sugar problems should avoid chocolate as it increases the bold sugar level and it also leads to the problem of weight gain.
Signs that shows you have a weak immune system:
How would you know if your immune system is strong or weak? Below are some signs that show you have a weak immune system:
· High stress level – If you are dealing with a high-stress level you may fall sick very quickly, this is because high stress level decreases the body’s lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are the white blood cells of the body which helps us to fight infections. The lesser the white blood cells more you are at risk for viruses and the common cold. This acts as a sign of a weakened immune system.
· Catch cold very quickly – If you have two or three colds it’s perfectly fine most of the time because the body will bounce back within seven to ten days. The human body takes four to five days to develop antibodies to fight the cold. But if you are constantly catching a cold or your body takes more than usual time to recover, it is a sign of a weakened immune system.
· Stomach related issues – If you are suffering from frequent diarrhoea or constipation. This could be a sign of a weakened immune system. Diarrhoea or constipation act as an early sign that something is wrong in the body. It is an indicator to take proper precautions before the problem gets bigger.
· Slow to heal wounds – Usually the body works to heal the wounds by providing nutrition-rich blood to regenerate new skin. This healing process depends on the immune system but if the immune system takes a lot of time to regenerate new skin; this can be a sign of a weakened immune system and you should take proper measures to heal the wound as well as to heal the immune system.
Supplements to boost your immune system:
If your immune system is weak as per the signs mentioned above, then you can make it strong just by taking some supplements. You can take the below supplements to boost your immune system:
· Selenium – Deficiency of Selenium is associated with impaired immune function.
· Zinc – Low zinc level affects the immune system and there is a greater risk of oxidative stress and inflammation. Zinc protects us from infections. It also helps the thymus gland, which produces infection-killing T-cells.
· Omega-3 fatty acids – DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are the most important omega-3 fatty acids for a good immune system. It helps in reducing inflammation and promotes healing.
Conclusion –
Just by making some essential lifestyle and dietary changes, you can strengthen your immune system naturally and quickly. Just maintain a balance on your sugar intake, stay hydrated, work out on a regular basis, get proper sleep, and manage your stress levels effectively. In the above article, we presented many different ways on how to boost the immune system naturally. Hope this information helps you. Stay healthy and free from diseases!
