The immune system has a vital role as it protects the body from harmful substances, germs, and cell changes that could make you ill. Without an immune system, we would have no way to fight harmful substances that enter our bodies. The major role of the body’s immune system is to fight disease-causing germs (pathogens) like bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi, to remove them from the body, to recognize and neutralize harmful substances from the environment, and to fight disease-causing changes in the body, such as cancer cells.
To attain these benefits, it is crucial to build a strong immune system. Adding deficient nutrients such as vitamins through dietary changes or supplementation can enhance resistance to infection and recovery of immunological function. Other ways to boost your immune system are mentioned below.
Eat Healthy Meals
Include all five food groups in your entire day’s meal. Reduce extra fat, sugar, and salt. Choose whole foods instead of pre-packaged food items. Try to incorporate immunity-boosting foods like garlic, ginger, ashwagandha, giloy, turmeric, etc. in any form in your meals. Another way is to swap munching snacks with mixed seeds and nuts to get an extra boost of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
Exercise regularly (breathing exercises)
Exercising on a daily basis is important and essential. Working out energizes overall circulation, which makes it easier for immune cells and other infection-fighting cells to travel throughout your body. One can indulge in any kind of activity like yoga, cycling, walking jogging whatever is comfortable.
Get your probiotics
Involve probiotics in your routine to keep your gut healthy and in turn a better immune system. Prefer a daily drink of probiotics with the right amount of colony-forming units. Also, include food items and drinks from the kitchen to give a little extra boost to the immune system. This includes curd, kanji, and fermented dishes like dosa, uthappam, dhokla to name a few.
Take your supplements daily
To ensure a daily dose of all the nutrients in the required amounts, it is essential to include supplements. Nutritional supplements work as an easy immunity booster. Include health supplements and nutraceuticals like vitamins E, A, D, and K, astaxanthin, glutathione, fish oils, probiotics, and others. They can play an important role in a variety of biological processes, such as antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory. BodyFirst provides a wide range of supplements to name BodyFirst® Ashwagandha, BodyFirst® Astaxanthin, BodyFirst® 3x Fish Oil and BodyFirst® Glutathione to choose from.
Maintain a healthy weight
Maintaining a healthy weight will prevent non-communicable diseases. The immune system will remain protected as excess abdominal fat produces pro-inflammatory proteins which can deteriorate the immune system. So, it is best to remain at a normal BMI and lead a healthy life.
Reduce Stress & Sleep Well
Excess stress leads to the production of hormones called cortisol which interrupts the immune system. Similarly, inadequate sleep reduces the ability of the immune system to fight off infections. It is best to relieve stress and sleep well at night.