How to Strengthen your Immune System?

The immune system plays a vital role; it protects you against numerous diseases caused by harmful substances, germs, microorganisms and cell changes. When your immune system fails, germs begin to invade your body and make you sick.

What is the role of white blood cells?

White blood cells are key players in your immune system. They are produced in bone marrow and they are part of the lymphatic system. These cells move through the blood as well as tissue in the entire body and they look out for foreign bodies such as parasites, viruses, bacteria and fungi and attack them.

What are the healthier ways to strengthen your immune system?

The first step to strengthen your immune system is to choose a healthy lifestyle. You can naturally boost your immune system by simply following good health guidelines; this would protect your body from varied environmental assaults. To strengthen your immune system you can get bolstered by numerous strategies & steps which will help achieve the above goal.

1. Quit smoking –First step to build better immune system

Light smoking is not bad as heavy smoking, but it is still harmful to your body and heart. If you quit smoking altogether your health will definitely improve. There are numerous health hazards of light smoking they include premature death due to cardiovascular disease, respiratory tract infections, cataract, slow recovery from cartilage and other injuries, weakened aorta, heart disease because of cholesterol clogged arteries and high blood pressure, cancer- stomach, lungs, esophageal and pancreatic. We also find sperm function in men becomes poorer and in women they have delayed conception.

2. Exercising Regularly –Improves Immune system

Many people perform exercise because they think it will help them lose weight and build muscle, but it goes beyond that, studies reveal regular exercise helps improve your immune system as well. In the short run, exercise can help your body find as well as deal with pathogens and in the long run it helps slow down varied changes which occur in your immune system due to aging, thus reducing the risk of infections.

3. Regularly Maintain Healthy Weight –An Mile Stone for Good immune system

The BMI (Body Mass Index) helps calculate, as to whether men or a woman is overweight, obese or has normal weight. Eventhough it may not be perfect as it does not directly assesses the body fat but it is still considered to be the best alternative, the reason being, it is very costly affair to measure body fat.

4. Alcohol –Compromises immune system

Alcohol consumption compromises your immune system, it increases the risk of varied health outcomes, hence people should stay away from consumption of alcohol any time, especially during Covid-19 pandemic.

5. Get Good Sleep –Boost your Immune System

During sleep your body's immune system releases proteins called cytokines; these proteins help individuals to have a good sleep. Certain cytokines increase with infection or when you are under stress, these help combat both, stress and your illness. If you do not sleep well your body cannot produce enough of these protective cytokines and antibodies which fights varied diseases and infections.

6. Good Hygiene –Significant Step towards Building your Immune System

These precautionary steps will help prevent infection

• Wash your hands well

• Cover your mouth when you cough

• Wash and bandage all cuts

• Do not squeeze pimples or pick healing wounds

• Do not share your glasses or food utensils while eating

• Avoid direct contact of handkerchief or similar items of others

• Practice good food safety techniques

• Maintain Travel precautions

7. Immune system and age

As we grow old, our immune system response capability becomes reduced and aged people are more prone to varied infections and cancer. Life expectancy in developed nations has improved, hence age related conditions have also increased. It has been noticed, few people age healthily when compared to others, reason being good immune system.

8. Healthy Diet-Healthy immune system

All those who desire to have healthy system must have regular food, so that body is nourished with required vitamins, proteins and other nourishments, which is essential for wellbeing and proper functioning of the body. Similar to any fighting force, good immune system acts as a better defense of the body. Many research studies have stated, people who are poor and malnourished are more prone to infectious diseases.

9. Herbs and supplement improve immunity

Urbanization, industrialization, subsequent lack of nutrients in the soil and poor diet choices has left individuals with only with a few choices. Studies have found, supplement with specific minerals, herbs and vitamins might be beneficial in strengthening the immune system and help promote longevity. Some of the herbs and supplements which improve immunity include green tea extract, zinc, vitamin C, Quercetin, Vitamin D and Baicalin.

10. Stress and immunity

Stress is difficult to define, what may be stressful to one; it may be not stressful to others. There exists a close relationship between mind and body, modern medicine appreciate this fact. Varied maladies such as hives, heart diseases and stomach upset are linked to the effects of emotional stress.