5 Natural Ways to Improve Your Immune System
Your immune system is your first line of defense when you’re battling a sickness.
Whether it be the common cold, the flu, or Covid-19, your bodily system is essential to fighting illnesses. Here at Modify we believe physical health has a direct correlation with mental health: a healthy body is important for a healthy mind. Luckily, there are ways that you can improve your immune system. Effort can help prepare your body for a bout with an illness. Here are some natural ways that you can do to strengthen your immune system.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
I know, I know, it’s something that seems obvious. You’ve been hearing about theimportance of water all your life. But, it is absolutely true: a steady intake of water is vital for a healthy body. Dehydration can hinder your physical performance, mood, focus, digestion, and heart and kidney function. These complications can increase your susceptibility to illness. To do this, fill a water bottle each morning to keep you on track. In order to strengthen your immune system, make sure you are drinking water every single day. - Manage levels of stress.
It might sound odd in a post about physical health, but, believe it or not, mentalhealth plays a big factor in the state of your immune system. Prolonged psychological stress can suppress the immune response in individuals. So, as often as possible, try to utilize your coping mechanisms to limit stressful states. Like we said before, a healthy mind is important for a healthy body! - Stay active.
By exercising regularly, you improve your body’s overall circulation. This makesit easier for immune cells and other infection-fighting molecules to travel throughout your body. For example, a brisk walk will keep your body healthy each day and help stimulate your immune system. - Be sure to rest!
During sleep, your body produces infection-fighting molecules that are essentialfor your immune system. It is scientifically proven that individuals who lack quality sleep are more prone to getting sick after exposure to viruses. 8 hours of sleep a night is a good benchmark for most people. - Fruits and Vegetables are important.
Diet and nutrition, of course, are important to any healthy body. There are hundreds of ways to help maintain a healthy diet. Finding a balanced diet that works for you can seem daunting, but a good place to start would be to increase the amount of natural fruits and vegetables you are eating. These foods are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that give you an upper hand against harmful pathogens. The antioxidants help decrease inflammation by combatting unstable compounds called free radicals. Chronic inflammation is linked to health conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers. Additionally, these foods are rich in nutrients such as vitamin C, which also strengthens your immune system. Even if you don’t have the best diet, making an attempt to consume vegetables and fruits every day will greatly benefit your health.
Nobody is perfect. Especially when living through a pandemic, it can be hard to sustain a healthy lifestyle. But, here at Modify, we don’t expect you to be perfect. You don’t have to wake up tomorrow prepared for a complete lifestyle change. Instead, you can take steps to improve your immune system and overall health. By attempting to follow these steps one day at a time, you can begin to transform your body’s ability to combat illnesses. From this, you will maintain a healthy body, which, in turn, leads to a healthy mind!
Call us at Modify if we can be of assistance.
Jordan Busch-Lawm and Lisa Busch Ph.D.
