With Winter fast approaching, a cold or flu can ruin your week very quickly. Here are a few ways to ensure your immune system is working at its best, and be able to fight off the germs and viruses that Winter brings.
Cut Out Bad Habits
The first thing you should do is cut out bad habits. Smoking and drinking have both been shown to lower the strength of your immune system. If you struggle with seasonal sickness, it is best to cut out these things, or, at the very least, lower the consumption of them.
If you smoke especially, look up how to get a vape prescription and reduce your nicotine consumption. If this isn’t an option for you, look to alternatives like nicotine gum.
Get Your Vaccines
One easy way to give yourself the protection against serious sickness is to stay up to date with your vaccines. Even the basic cold and flu vaccine can prevent you from being very sick for a week or two.
Your immune system knows how to deal with sickness and viruses, but vaccines give it the extra boost it needs to adapt to any new strains and stop you from getting more sick than usual.
Diet
Your diet is important when it comes to fighting viruses as there are plenty of vitamins and minerals that help boost and keep your immune system strong. Namely, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Magnesium.
Because of this, you should ensure your diet is giving you the daily recommended amounts of each of these vitamins and minerals. It is also important to note that many experts believe the body absorbs these things better when eaten, as opposed to taking a supplement.
Some of the foods you should focus on include chicken, salmon, oranges, spinach, almonds, beans, whole wheat, etc.
Gut Health
Many studies have shown a close connection between your gut health and the strength of your immune system. Simply put, if your gut is healthy, your body is better equipped to fight off viruses and sickness.
While a healthy diet leads to a healthy gut, if you need an extra boost, you can add fermented foods into your diet, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, etc. Yogurt is also one of the most well-known foods to help with gut health.
If you want a great “reset” for your gut, it is never a bad idea to invest in a probiotic, which gives your gut all the good bacteria it needs to reach and maintain a healthy level. However, if you are struggling with gut or stomach issues, first consult a doctor before taking a probiotic as it can make some issues worse.
Drink Enough Water
Drinking enough water is also a vital aspect of immune system strength as it allows the immune cells in your body to flow around freely and quickly. This is why hydration is always one of the first things a doctor will recommend.
It is also important to note that even if you aren’t very active, you are still burning through liquid quickly, meaning you should drink enough water whether you are super active or not.
Exercise
Exercise isn’t just for losing weight and building muscle, but it is also an essential part of any healthy lifestyle and body, and therefore is also part of improving your immune system. In simple terms, experts believe exercising helps move immune cells into your muscle tissue.
You also don’t need to spend hours in the gym, you can run, do yoga, or partake in a sport. As long as you are moving and exercising regularly, your body will receive all the benefits.
Sleep
Sleep is important no matter the season, but not getting enough sleep has also been shown to make your body less capable of fighting off viruses. In simple terms, sleeping is when your body rebuilds and readies itself for the next day.
Therefore, you need to establish a healthy and effective sleep schedule, and stick to it. This will differ from person to person, but finding what works for you should be the goal.
Minimise Stress
Stress has been shown to have countless side effects. It can ruin your mood, sleep, concentration, diet, and everything in between. Because of this, the secondary effect of stress is that it can make your immune system weaker.
Therefore, it is best to deal with stress when it first arises, or find ways to get rid of it as quickly as possible in a healthy way.
Sunlight
Vitamin D helps support immune cell function and helps to fight of viruses. One of the best and easiest ways to get more vitamin D is to spend some time in the sun. This is particularly important for those who spend a lot of time indoors working, or those who live in a country that doesn’t get a ton of sunlight throughout the year.
If you simply can’t get enough sun, there are vitamin D supplements available, and you can also go to a doctor and get tested for vitamin D deficiency, and be prescribed something stronger.