5 Tips on Boosting Your Immune System
With the flu season in full swing, we often think about the different ways that we can improve our diets and habits to improve our immune system. The idea of boosting immunity is a great start, but the truth is your immune system is actually a system, not a single entity. It requires balance and harmony to function and we can do a few different healthy-living strategies to help give our immune response the upper hand. Here's our 5 tips on boosting your immune system aside from the common, washing your hands.
1. Reduce Stress
Stress is known to contribute to a variety of health issues like high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, and more. Stress causes a release of cortisol, which boost inflammation which is harmful to your body. Chronic stress may also suppress your infection fighting ability of your white blood cells making you at risk to contracting illnesses. Try these easy relaxation techniques like breathing exercises and meditation to help you find what works best for your routine.
2. Get sufficient sleep
Getting good sleep is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise and has immediate effects on your body and brain function. A lack of sleep can cause the inflammatory immune response to activate which reduces the activity of T cells in the body. This can weaken your immune system and the response to vaccines. Try to prioritize sleep and get at least 7-8 hours every night. If you're having difficulty with sleep, try a melanin supplement like BioHealth's Pure PM Sleep Aid Formula which gives you a variety of benefits.
Want more tips on sleep? Check out our 3 Proven Tips To Getting The Best Sleep Ever
3. Exercise
A consistent exercise routine has a multitude of benefits. Everything from reducing stress, to help fight infections. According to the National Library of Medicine, exercise can keep pathogens out of your lungs and airways which may reduce the chances of getting ill. Studies have shown that people with a moderately active lifestyle benefit from sticking to a consistent exercise program. Even just taking a daily 20-30 minute walk can make a huge difference.
4. Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is essential to proper body function. To boost your immunity function, eat plenty of fruits and veggies. These will help arm your body with antioxidants it needs to fight oxidative stress, which includes sickness. Making sure you're getting all the essential nutrients on a daily basis will also help with a healthy liver which will ensure the body's natural detoxification process. If you're not the fruits and veggies type, you can use a supplement like Phtyo Fuel to add to your protein shakes for a boost of organic fruits and veggies in a convenient powder.
5. Load up on Vitamin D