How Can You Strengthen Your Immune System?

To be immune to something means to be protected against it. And that is the purpose of the immune system. It is the body’s natural defense against infection. If you also have a weak immune system, your body’s ability to fight infections decreases. You become more vulnerable to certain diseases. Strengthening your immune system is therefore important. Read below how you can do this naturally.

How does the immune system work?

The main cells of the immune system are called leukocytes or white blood cells. So when the organism detects a threat, these cells are mobilized and travel through the bloodstream until they reach the harmful focus. Their function is to repair the damaged tissue, serve as a barrier to control the infection, and produce algogenic substances that promote pain.

Inflammation is the immune system’s way of handling infections, whether they are caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, or prions. Your immune system detects the particles that are harmful to your health. Later, in response to their invasion, it responds by attacking and destroying them. The swelling only goes down when the threat disappears.

When the immune system is not working properly…

If the immune system is compromised, there are many negative consequences for the body. Immunodeficiency is one of these. Immunodeficiency causes natural protection and defense mechanisms to be less active than normal.

Another negative consequence is the emergence of certain autoimmune diseases, which cause the immune system to attack the body’s healthy cells. The organism can no longer differentiate between its own tissues and the pathogens. And because it is confused, it affects body parts that are healthy. There are more than eighty types of autoimmune diseases. While in many cases their causes are unknown, they are believed to have a strong hereditary component. Also, autoimmune diseases are more common in women than in men.

Strengthen your immune system: tips

Just as there are internal factors that interfere with the proper functioning of the body, there are certain external factors that we have a little more influence over. You can also intervene and change these external factors to strengthen your immune system. What are these factors?

A balanced diet

This is the most important factor to strengthen your immune system. Your diet should be well balanced. That means you’re consuming all the nutrients your body needs in the right amount.

A balanced diet includes monounsaturated fats (nuts, salmon, tuna, olive oil), dairy products, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Other nutrients that can supplement your diet and boost your immune system include:

• Vitamin E – present in wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil (or thistle oil), corn and soybeans. You can also find it in almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts, or in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach.
• Vitamin C – found in high amounts in vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, as well as in fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, guava and lemons.

• Vitamin A – found in milk, butter and cheddar. Also in vegetables, such as carrots or cabbage.
• Iron – found in lean red meats such as veal or beef, shellfish, liver and eggs.
• Zinc and Selenium – abundant in beef, turkey and chicken. As well as in shrimp, lobster and in most fish species. The good thing is that these minerals are present in almost all foods that people consume on a regular basis.

Avoid infections

In many cases, personal hygiene and food hygiene are nowhere to be seen. Throughout the day we touch everything with our hands: doorknobs, toilet brushes, computer keyboards… This allows all possible viruses or bacteria in the environment to reach us. That’s why you should wash your hands thoroughly before putting anything in your mouth. While it may seem obvious, it is important and an excellent way to prevent infections.

Likewise, although food goes through a food safety system, it is highly recommended that you wash fruits and vegetables well before consuming them. Using water and vinegar is usually sufficient. Likewise, it is advisable to always keep meat and fish well refrigerated, until the moment of preparation, to prevent spoilage.

do sports

Another habit that can work in your favor is to exercise for thirty minutes a day at least three times a week. This regularity keeps your muscles active. It also helps bring more oxygen to your body’s cells, allowing them to perform their functions better.

Make sure you do an activity that uses almost all of your body’s muscle groups. For example, swimming, playing tennis, cycling, running or just walking. All of these activities promote coordination, flexibility and full body movement.

But be careful! Because just as a sedentary lifestyle impairs circulation and promotes certain cardiovascular diseases, too much exercise can increase the vulnerability of your immune system. It’s never good to push your body to the limit and exhaust it completely. Adjust the training to what your body can handle.

Meditation and relaxation

In many cases, stress, anxiety, or depression have the power to diminish your ability to cope with adversity. If you are constantly stressed, anxious or depressed for a long time, this will not only disturb your mood, but also weaken your defenses and promote the development of diseases.

A good way to prevent this and strengthen your immune system is to practice yoga, tai-chi, mindfulness or meditation. These are all relaxation methods that can help you improve your breathing. As a result, the balance between your mind and your body will also improve.

You are constantly exposed to harmful substances: tobacco smoke, environmental pollution, dust, aerosols… Therefore, strengthening your immune system is the best way to prevent damage to your body. So put these simple guidelines into practice, your body will thank you for it.