Covind-19 outbreak? See HOW TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
An ancient proverb once stressed on the need to understand the purpose of anything we set out to do. According to this ancient wisdom, you should not only concern yourself with the “how” but also consider the “why”. In other words, when you are asked to read daily, you should not only consume yourself with how to read and what to read.
You should set out to understand and define why you want to read. Perhaps this is because it would help you, not only set clear goals, but also get you to your destination faster.
In the light of the coronavirus (Covind-19) outbreak, it is easy to quickly assume that the reason you need to boost your immune system is to prevent being infected with the virus. While this is partly true, the real reason you need to boost or support your immune system is entirely hinged on what it does.
What
Did you just mutter the question “What does the immune system do?”
Think of the immune system as a security guard, for example, that guards and protects your house from robbers and psychotic break-ins. In this symbolic context, your body is the house while the security guard is your immune system. The robbers and psychopaths, in question, are also symbolic representations of pathogens and viruses threatening to tear you to shreds.
Just as security guards are employed to properly guard your house against robbers and the likes, your immune system is designed to protect you from diseases and viral infection.
However, you can only be defended against viral and bacterial attacks if your immune system is strong. In other words, a weak immune system only leaves you prone to suffering from diseases and germs.
More so, in the context of injuries, weak immune systems slow down the healing process of your body so that injuries take longer than usual to heal. Read on to discover ways by which you can boost your immune system.
How
- Refine/ Balance your Diet. Having a healthy and balanced diet is one great way to boost your immune system. In the process of refining your diet, ensure that it is extremely rich in antioxidants as antioxidants have been proven to help you strengthen your immune system. In other words, pump your diet full of fruits and vegetables; you might want to consider becoming a vegetarian -it is a healthy choice! Why do you need to incorporate antioxidants into your diet? Well, they help combat free radicals responsible for suppressing your immune system. Here is a healthy tip when it comes to the consumption of fats; For the sake of your immune system, you should replace over saturated fats that are often found in meat and dairy products with healthy fats that you can derive from oily fish, flax seed, etc.
- Exercise. Is it just I or exercise is at the center of healthy living? Well, although exercise is great for boosting your immune system, it should be noted that, medically, not all forms of exercise are great for your immune system. Certain kinds of exercise weaken your immune system while leaving you susceptible to viral infection and illnesses. So, what type of exercise helps boost your immune system? Simple, moderately intense exercise is great for boosting your immune system and, according to a recent study; moderately intense exercise helps defend your body against cancer cell growth (OMG! I know right!). No, running is not a moderately intense exercise. However, some examples of moderately intense exercise include; brisk walking, easy jogging, walking or jogging on a treadmill, ballroom dancing, volleyball, water aerobics, certain house chores like gardening and vacuuming, etc.
- Stress Reduction When exposed to short term stress, your immune system could be positively impacted. However, exposure to long term stress does well to cripple your immune system while leaving you prone to diseases and illnesses. Thus, try some stress reduction techniques like deep breathing, moderately intense exercise, meditation, Yoga, etc to keep your stress levels in check.
- Hygiene. The importance of washing your hands with soap and water cannot be overemphasized. The 20 seconds medical rule states that the hands should be washed for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before cooking your food and eating it, after coughing, making use of the toilet, etc. This would prevent illnesses from getting into your body and draining your immune system of the strength it has.
- Sleep. It is important to sleep. This would help regulate your immune system if it is done for at least 8 hours. In other words, ensure to get at least 8 hours of sleep daily to keep your immune system in check
Remember, a strong immune system equals a healthy you!. In other words, illnesses would stay pretty far away from you once your immune system is strong as a result of how you treat your body.