All You Need To Know About Immune System And Boosting It

What is the immune system & what does it do?

An immune system is a complex network of cells, organs, tissues, and proteins that acts as the first line of the body’s defense against invaders such as viruses, bacteria, and foreign bodies. There are two types of the immune system - the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. An innate immune system is the one you are born with and the adaptive immune system develops as you grow old and your body is exposed to infections and disease-causing microbes.

How do lifestyle changes help strengthen overall immunity?

In this fast-paced world where people do not have enough time to sit back, relax and take care of themselves. Lifestyle has made a huge impact on our health. Hence, it is crucial to bring positive changes to your lifestyle that can strengthen overall immunity. While there is not much you can do about the innate immune system but you can bolster the adaptive immune system by making lifestyle changes.

How to increase your immunity in a healthy way?

Several habits which when introduced in your life can bring a great deal of change and help you live a healthy life. The healthy lifestyle that helps boost immunity is not just limited to your dietary habits. A variety of immunity booster medications and supplements available in the market can help increase your body’s immunity but it is prudent to prefer natural ways of improving your immune system.

● Diet and Immune System

What you eat has a huge impact on your immune system. A healthy and nutritious diet can aid in increasing your immunity and help the body ward off diseases effectively. On the other hand, unhealthy eating habits can have a detrimental effect on your immune system. So keep your diet full of proteins, vitamins, fibre, minerals, etc. to ensure that your body’s defense performs at its best and can defend against harmful disease-causing microbes.

● Workout and Immune System

Health is wealth refers to both the physical and mental state of an individual. To boost immunity and to ensure that your immune system is at its optimum, it is important to exercise regularly. White blood cells (WBCs) are key to the functioning of the immune system and fighting off diseases. Several health experts recommend regular exercise as it aids white blood cells production that helps boost immunity.

● Sleep and Immune System

The Irish proverb “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in a doctor’s book” aptly defines sleep’s impact on one’s health. The importance of getting a shut-eye and its impact on the immune system is immense. When you sleep, your body releases cytokines protein which affects the growth of blood cells that helps the body’s inflammation and immune response. It is recommended to get 7-8 hours of sleep to help strengthen your immune system.

● Smoking and Immune System

Several health experts, researchers, and doctors have time and again mentioned the harmful effects of smoking on one’s health. Smoking on a regular basis weakens your immune system and can affect you to the extent that the immune system stops responding to the disease-causing microbes invasions. Smokers tend to have a weaker immune system and take longer to fight off infections that a non-smoker healthy individual could shake off within a few days.

● Stress and the Immune System

Stress and anxiety affect your mental health which is directly linked to your immune system’s effectiveness. When you are going through tough times, the constant stress that you are under can lead to several health issues such as sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, depression, and even heart attack. It is prudent to talk to your loved ones and seek expert help when dealing with stress.

● Age and Immune System

The functioning of an immune system is closely linked to the age of an individual. As you grow older, your immune system tends to remodel and the body’s capability to fight off infections deteriorates. This is one of the key reasons why old people fall sick often and take longer to heal. While the weakening of the immune system with age is inevitable, it can be delayed by making healthy lifestyle changes such as consuming a balanced diet, limiting alcohol intake, exercising regularly, etc.

● Medical Conditions and Immune system

Some medical conditions such as diabetes, joint problems, cancer, heart issues, etc. can hamper the immune system’s response to infections. If you are suffering from these medical conditions, your body’s ability to protect you from infections by fighting off viruses and bacteria reduces. Hence, it is crucial to boost immunity by taking medications for your medical condition and making lifestyle changes to keep yourself in good health.

Conclusion

Sometimes, even simple changes in the lifestyle can help boost immunity. For instance, little changes such as getting a good night's sleep and cutting down your sugar intake can go a long way in boosting your immunity. This blog talks about various lifestyle changes that can boost immunity and help ward off unwanted organisms from entering the body and protect you from diseases.

Disclaimer: This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website or in any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Kindly contact your Doctor before starting a new medicine or health regime.

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Published on January 12, 2022