December 7, 2020 0 Comment(s)

5 Simple Ways to Boost Immunity

Your immune system plays a key role in keeping you healthy and active by fighting off any bacteria or viruses that may come your way, including the coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic. While your body can typically maintain your immune system on its own without you having to worry about it, there are certainly factors within your control that may influence the strength of your immunity and give it a boost.

Our health coaches are an invaluable resource in learning how integrate any of these suggestions into your everyday life as well as offer other ways to boost your immunity. The Enhanced Immunity/COVID-19 Prevention (Virtual) program is specifically designed to offer the best strategies and products for you.

Regular Exercise

Exercising on a consistent basis is essential to overall health and well-being. Ensuring you are in the best possible physical condition contributes to optimal immune system function. Regular exercise may also help the immune system by increasing circulation and allowing the cells of the immune system to travel more easily throughout the body.

Sufficient Sleep

The Mayo Clinic states that sleep deprivation can directly impair immune function. When you sleep, your body releases a type of protein called cytokines. The levels of cytokines in your body increase when you are injured or ill in order to help you heal. If you skimp on your sleep, your body may not release enough of these proteins, which increases the amount of time it takes for you to get healthy.

Diet

It has been well established that those who are impoverished and malnourished are more susceptible to contracting infectious diseases. And while there is still a scarcity of scientific research on humans linking diet and immunity, there are animal studies that suggest diet plays a role in the function of the immune system.

Micronutrient deficiencies have been found to have a link to the immune system. Therefore, focusing on these micronutrients in your diet may help improve immunity. Zinc, iron, and Vitamin A are all examples of micronutrients, and including these vital nutrients in your diet could give your immune system a boost.

Avoid Smoking or Heavy Drinking

Smoking and heavy drinking do not contribute to any aspect of your health, nor do they offer any support to your immune system. Excessive alcohol consumption makes you more susceptible to a variety of infections, one of which disrupts the activity of key immune cells in your airways. Aside from the clear damage done by smoking to the lungs, nicotine is a known immunosuppressant that hampers the ability of your immune system to do its job.

Minimize Stress

Stress can impact our health in many ways, and impairing proper immune system function is one of them. To make sure the immune system continues to fight off any viruses or bacteria it encounters, try to keep stress at bay. There are many effective methods to reduce stress, these can include exercise, meditation, or even journaling. Avoiding stress as much as possible helps mitigate its effects on immunity, as most of the problems that arise from long-term stress.

Each of these examples are small steps you can take to boost your immunity and protect against disease. Nearly everything you do, or do not, on a daily basis can impact your health and immune system. Sometimes simply maintaining awareness of your actions can be greatly beneficial to your health.