India has entered into the second wave of the pandemic that has situations worse than before. Though the vaccination phase has begun, there have been more cases than ever. Hence, taking care of ourselves has become more of a priority for today. Few ways to fight against the deadly covid-19 is to keep practising social distancing, wear a mask all the time and keep working on building a robust immune system.
Why is there a need for a healthy immune system?
In simple words, the immune system has to shield the body against illness and diseases. A solid immune system protects the body from potentially harmful pathogens like bacteria & viruses. The immune system is a complex system that consists of cells in our skin, blood, bone marrow, tissues, and organs and altogether do their specific roles to protect the body. Please note that better immunity will not keep individuals away from getting the virus but will help the body fight against it with a stronger will & determination.
There are few lifestyles tweaks you must make to keep your immune system well-shielded to fight against viruses. Follow the below ways to boost your immunity:
Good & healthy diet
A healthy diet is essential for maintaining a healthy & strong immune system. Keep a watch on what you eat and do. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, lean protein and even healthy fats. Additionally, keep a check on the consumption of micronutrients that maintain a good immune system functioning.
- Focus on a low carb diet as it will support in controlling high blood sugar and pressure.
- Include mushrooms, tomato, bell peppers and spinach in your diet. These are some of the best food items that can help build resilience against infections.
- Include foods like chicken, bananas, potatoes to increase vitamin B6. Eat citrus fruits like oranges, strawberries to improve vitamin C. Almonds, peanuts & spinach are good for boosting vitamin E.
- Take zinc supplements as it helps fights infections.
Drink enough water
It is vital to stay hydrated always as it helps to safeguard the immune system besides other roles in the body. Fluid in the circulatory system known as lymph carries essential infection-fighting immune cells that are composed of water. When dehydration occurs, the movement of lymph slows down, leading to a low immune system. Replace your lost fluid immediately to keep a better immune system.
Get proper sleep
You must make sure that your body gets plenty of good quality sleep (critical to the immune health system). Take a proper 7-8 hours of sleep to help build your body’s immunity. It has been found in a study that people who sleep less are like to get sick and become weaker against viruses. Also, deprived sleep levels increase cortisol levels that are not good for the immune system.
Learn to manage your stress
Stress is inevitable in tough times like these. Indulge in activities that assist in relieving your stress. Some of the ways to de-stress you can follow to manage stress and protect your immune system.
- Stressing too much can lead to an increase in the cortisol hormone, the stress hormone that impacts the body’s response to viruses or infections. Practising meditation or yoga can help in channelling the inner energy relieving stress.
- Make sure you quit addictions like heavy drinking, smoking cigarettes etc.
- Make a non-travelling rule for non-essential travels.
Exercise regularly
Make a regular exercise time to keep a healthy immune system. Doing regular exercise tends to improve immune functioning by boosting the overall circulation. Thus, maintaining the smooth movement of immune cells and infection-fighting molecules to every part of the body. It is advisable to engage in low-to-moderate exercise to stimulate the immune system.
Others
- Make sure you drink lukewarm water throughout the day.
- Increase consumption of turmeric, cumin and garlic.
- Drink decoction of Holy Basil, Cinnamon, dry ginger or herbal tea.
- Apply sesame oil or coconut oil in the nostrils every morning/evening as it can help to boost immunity.
- Eat probiotic foods like yoghurt, kimchi.
- Limit your sugar intake.
Follow Every Necessary Precaution Against Covid-19!
Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
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