5 Tips to Boost Your Immune System

Just like a home security system protects your house from intruders, your body’s immune system fights with viruses and bacteria to keep your system healthy. The immune system uses the body’s proteins and chemicals to combat illnesses. So, you need to take care of it to reduce the risk of getting sick.

There are some easy ways to boost your immune system while maximizing its effects. Unlike a smart home security system, the body’s immune system is not charged up all the time using a plug-in. At times we can catch infections and get ill. But to fight the bacteria and viruses, the immune system needs to be nurtured.

So, how to build immunity? Well, here are the five simple tips to follow to strengthen your immune system:

1. Add Nutrient-rich Foods to Your Diet

You can make some dietary changes to boost your immunity. For instance, include vitamin C, vitamin B, Zinc, or antioxidant-rich foods in your diet. Some of these foods are:

• Ginger and turmeric
• Vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and garlic
• Shellfish or poultry
• Citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, limes or grapefruits
• Leafy greens like kale or spinach

Adding these foods to your diet is the very first step towards building immunity naturally. For additional dietary advice, you must consult a nutritionist to suggest a diet suitable to your needs.

2. Reduce Stress Levels

Well, it’s easier said than done. But stress is one factor that affects the body’s immune response. It may cause you to release extra cytokines and cortisol that further trigger inflammation. Due to this, white blood cells in the body decrease to fight infection. So, you are at higher risk of colds, flu, and viral attack. Plus, people who are often stressed cannot get proper sleep and won’t eat right. Neglecting these healthy habits has a bad impact on the immune system.

3. Opt for Right Lifestyle Choices 

Want to take a holistic approach to improve your immunity? It is recommended to make better lifestyle choices like exercising more, altering your diet, and limiting alcohol consumption. All these changes will help you to enhance your chances to get rid of illnesses quickly.

Ultimately, the aim is to curate a plan as per your age and personal requirements. Some additional lifestyle changes may include:

• Limiting sugar intake
• Prioritizing sleep
• Quit smoking/alcohol
• Drinking more water
• Adding probiotics to your diet
• Taking dietary supplements

4. Take More Vitamins

Vitamin C is essential for boosting immune defense by protecting the system against environmental stress (due to pollutants and free radicals) and supporting normal cell function. The best natural sources of vitamin C are strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, and spinach. 

Even vitamin D is essential for improving the body’s immune response while protecting you from various respiratory conditions. It is also known as the “sun’s vitamin,” as sunlight is a good source of vitamin D. Only 10 minutes of sun exposure every day is enough to give you plenty of vitamin D.

Besides these two vitamins, other vitamins like Vitamin E (found in seeds, nuts, and spinach) and Vitamin B6 (found in tuna, salmon, chicken, hummus, and green veggies) are important to boost immunity.

5. Work out Daily

Daily workouts may help your body to flush out toxins and clear airways. It also decreases stress hormones while making you energetic for the entire day. Exercises also reduce the risk of developing some diseases like fatty liver disease, heart disease, etc. Meanwhile, your bones become strong.

However, you must not overdo exercises. Some rigorous workouts can even weaken your immune system. So, only stick to 30 to 45 minutes of exercise regularly with one or two days break in a week. For, your body also needs to recover after a physical workout. So, one or two days' rest is also important with regular workouts.

Conclusion

Since we are frequently dealing with various diseases and viruses, it is important to stay protected by taking the right measures like improving the body’s immune system. With the given tips, you can instantly boost your immune system while leading a healthy life. 

Also, Read this: 5 Foods Items to Boost Your Immunity