Natural Immunity is Crucial in These Challenging Times: How to Build Your Immune System with 8 Simple Habits (2020)

You know the immune system keeps diseases at bay by forming a natural defense. However, you might not be aware of the amazing facts about the immune system. Here are three facts about it, which would definitely surprise you.

Your immune system has various parts, and each of them has unique roles to play. If you want a perfect example, then think of the military. Each part protects the body by performing different actions. The White Blood Cells, WBC in short, are the soldiers in the front line. Their duty is to identify the pathogens that enter into the body. They fight against any infection.

Whenever the body fights against any germs or infection, the microbes that have invaded into the body are remembered. So, in the future, the body starts fighting faster and easier against the infection. This task of remembering the microbes is done by Lymphocytes. The WBC are produced in the bone marrow, and lymph nodes are responsible for producing the cells to fight against the infections. Also, they take care of storing these cells across the body. The damaged and old cells are cleaned by the spleen, and it also controls the amount of blood in the body.

While the role of your immune system is to attack the infections and pathogens, it can attack itself. This is when autoimmune diseases occur. When the WBC fails to differentiate between the normal body cells and the pathogens, the healthy tissues are destroyed. This is because the white blood cells destroy the normal body cells, thinking them to be a pathogen. There are around 80 diseases that occur due to this condition. Psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn's disease are some examples of autoimmune disorders.

Too much of anything good can be harmful too. This is the case when it comes to the immune system's development also. When one focuses more on cleanliness, the foreign pathogens never enter into the body. When not exposed to pathogens, the body cannot develop the antibodies to fight against them. This can be seen very well in children.

Children, who are less exposed to harmful microbes, fall sick often. This is because their immune system is less developed. Practicing good hygiene is an excellent measure to stay healthy. But going overboard causes the trouble of inhibiting your immune system. Being obsessive about cleanliness will not help you. Keep your environment clean, but do not only concentrate on it.

You are what you eat. The foods you take play a vital role in ensuring a strong immune system. High fibre food helps in building your immune system. Plant fibre helps the healthy bacteria present in the gut. They are called the gut microbiome. When the gut microbiome is strong, the harmful pathogens can do no harm to your body. When they are robust, they help in boosting immunity.

Exercising regularly helps to lead a healthy life. It has a positive impact on the health of the heart, lungs, and various parts of the body. Exercising is the key to lower blood pressure and also helps in building the immune system. However, moderate exercises are required to build immunity, compared with high-intensity exercises. Any exercise, like walking, bicycle, jogging, swimming, and mild hiking, can be done to take care of your immune system. These help in bringing down the inflammation and also help in the production of immune cells.

The thumb rule is anything that is toxic damages the immune system. Smoking cigarettes hence affects the immune system of the body. When you smoke cigarettes, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, nicotine, and cadmium are released. These chemicals are capable of interfering with the functioning of the immune cells. A few immune cells that can be affected by these chemicals are B cells, T cells, and cytokines. When the lungs suffer from infections, smoking worsens it even more. Also, autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis can be exacerbated when the affected individual smokes. If you want your immune system to be healthy, you must adopt a healthy lifestyle. With various options available, it is easy to quit smoking these days.

As aforementioned, a healthy lifestyle is the key to ensure your immune system is robust. Consumption of alcohol can inhibit your immunity. One of the various health problems that can crop up due to drinking alcohol is weak immunity. This is because, when you drink too much alcohol, your body gets busy with just one thing. It is nothing but detoxifying the body. So, the body cannot focus on boosting immune power.

As a result, when one drinks a lot, the ability to fight any infection is lesser. This implies that getting well soon is impossible. One has to stay sick for a longer time when consuming too much alcohol. This is why people who consume too much alcohol find it difficult to recover from pneumonia, alcoholic liver disease, and a few types of cancers. If you have to drink, drink alcohol in moderation. Do not take more than one glass or 4 ounces per day, if you are a woman. For men, 2 glasses per day are the maximum.

If you want a robust immune system, never mess with your sleep. Enough sleep is a vital factor in keeping your immune system healthy. When your sleep quality is not good, you are prone to various diseases. Studies show that people who sleep less than 6 hours at night are prone to catch a cold, compared to those who get to sleep for 6 hours and more.

In adults, 7 hours of sleep is mandatory, and teens need 8 to 10 hours per day to sleep. In children and infants, 14 hours of sleep is required. If you want a healthy natural immunity, it is essential to get enough sleep. If you are suffering from sleeping disorders, establish a pattern, and limit screen time. Your body rhythm is affected due to TV and computer usage before bedtime. Get to bed and get up at a fixed time every day.

Keeping a tab on the intake of sugar is vital to building the immune system. While it is a well-known fact, that added sugar and refined carbs can lead to obesity and overweight, the fact that it can also lead to a weak immune system is not popular. When you reduce refined foods and added sugars, it is easy to cut down the extra calories and reduce weight. This also decreases any inflammation, and the risk of diabetes and heart diseases is reduced.

Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases can inhibit your immune system. When you are cutting down the sugar intake, you keep these risks away and help your immune system to stay strong. For anyone with a diet of 2000 calories per day, only 2 tablespoons or 25 grams of sugar is allowed.

Staying hydrated is a must for various reasons. When it becomes one of the factors to build the immune system, it doesn't mean water helps in fighting pathogens, viruses, and bacteria. When you do not take enough water, it can hamper your physical functions. It affects your mood and causes digestion issues. This can also lead to problems in the heart and kidney functions. These can lead to proneness to diseases.

Many people count the intake of tea, coffee, and juices too. But, drinking them excessively can be harmful due to the sugar content present in them. Drink water when you are thirsty and stop consuming when you are no longer thirsty. If you exercise, work in hot weather, sweat a lot, then take more water. In older adults, the feeling of thirst is lesser. They must take enough water regularly. This helps in making their immune system strong.

The balance of the functioning of immune cells is disturbed due to chronic stress. Being stressed for long can also lead to inflammation. In children, the immune system is suppressed due to prolonged stress. If you are stressed, deal with it appropriately. You can try yoga, exercises, meditation, and other practices like journalising to beat stress.

Healthy foods are great for your body. Vegetables, fruits, greens, and nuts are the foods often suggested to remain fit. But, certain foods are considered best among these healthy foods to keep your immune system robust. Take these 3 foods to ensure your immune system is healthy, and so are you.

Vitamin C is for people who are prone to falling sick. You would have seen people going for citrus fruits when you fall ill or catch a cold. This is because citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C, and they help in the production of white blood cells. This helps in fighting infections. Tangerines, oranges, limes, lemons, clementines, and grapefruits are a few popular citrus fruits. The human body cannot store or produce Vitamin C., But it is vital to stay healthy. So, you need to include these fruits to stay healthy, and for an excellent immune system.

It is a package of vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in antioxidants and fibre. Fibre is mandatory for a good immune system. It contains Vitamin A, C, and E. When you want to make the most of this power-packed food, then it is essential to cook broccoli for lesser time. Or if you can take it raw, again, you will get all the nutrition of it. You can try adding broccoli to your menu with broccoli casserole, salad, roasted broccoli, lemon braised broccoli, and creamy broccoli and cheese soup. These dishes are delicious, and even if you are not a fan of broccoli would love consuming them.

In most of the Indian foods, turmeric is present. The gravies, curries, and other food items, turmeric is inevitable. Turmeric is known to be rich in anti-inflammatory properties across the world. It helps in treating rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The vibrant yellow colour is due to the high concentration of curcumin present in turmeric. When there is muscle damage caused by exercises, then turmeric can help in treating the same. This is why turmeric is used for centuries in various cuisines. Including turmeric in foods is easy, and in fact, the easiest way to keep your immune system healthy. You can also make turmeric-ginger tea which is a potent concoction for boosting your immunity and improving your overall health