Lifestyle Tips to Strengthen the Immune System

Many people think that getting a cold is normal especially when it’s cold season. So, you have come to accept that experiencing headaches, pain in the sinuses and sore throat are completely normal.

Do you know that there are easy ways to help shield yourself from cold, cough and flu? Also, that suffering from the discomforts of a simple cold should not be part of your “normal” seasonal routine?

One way to do this is to ensure that your immune system is in its best possible infection-fighting state. This way, you are protected not just from simple colds but also from other kinds of diseases, whatever the season is. How? Check out the following tips.

Power Up Your Daily Diet With These Nutrients:

Protein

For the immune system to be able to carry out its tasks at an optimum level, it greatly needs the help of amino acids. Thus, the need to consume more protein, for it contains amino acids called glutamine. One great way to obtain glutamine is to consume stocks and broths from free-range chicken or grass-fed beef. Drinking one cup of broth each day will certainly boost your immune system.

Beta Glucans

Mushrooms are excellent sources of beta glucans which are polysaccharides that work to strengthen the immune system. Therefore, regular consumption of Asian mushrooms such as maitake and shitake will help prevent infections. In the absence of mushrooms, you may take beta glucan supplements to help you fight against cough, colds and flu during the cold season.

Zinc

Steamed oysters are great sources of zinc. This mineral is essential for keeping the immune cells functioning at their best. Even a mild deficiency of zinc can have adverse effects on the immune system. If you do not like oysters, you may include grass fed beef which is also a good source of zinc. If you’re on a plant-based diet, you can eat some pumpkin seeds, which is the highest plant source of zinc.

Eliminate Sugar

Sugar intake dramatically weakens the immune system. Many scientists consider sugar to be a drug because they know how it adversely impacts the body and the mind. Refined sugar and other artificial sweeteners impair the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria. Instead, use honey as your sweetener, but even then, only in reasonable amounts.

Take Time To Laugh

Taking the time to laugh can greatly improve your immune system. When you laugh, your body will produce more antibodies that are capable off killing viruses and bacteria. This increases the volume of potent antibodies in the respiratory passages, nose and other points of entry for germs in the body. This then empowers your natural protection against cough, colds and flu.

Go Cycling Or Swimming

Regular cycling or swimming helps improve the functioning of the body’s lymphatic system. A major task of the lymphatic system is to look for toxins, pick them up and shuttle them out of the body. Although the circulatory system relies on the pumping of blood from the heart, the lymphatic system depends on the contraction of the muscles. So, when you regularly spend time exercising you are giving your muscles more opportunities to contract and rev up your lymphatic system.

Limit Intake Of Stimulants

Start saying no to caffeine, alcohol and cigarette smoking. These things significantly hurt your immune system due to their chemical content. These chemicals are considered by the body to be toxins. Heavy consumption of caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes can lead to nutritional deficiency.

Take Probiotics

Seventy to eighty percent of our immune system lies within the gut, which is part of the digestive system. Those trillions of bacteria that dwell in the intestines have the responsibility of fighting diseases and assisting the absorbing of nutrients.

This is why it is a must to keep the population of these bacteria not only strong but in proper ratios as well. One way to ensure that the gut has a balanced population of beneficial bacteria is to consume fermented foods such as kimchee, kefir, sauerkraut and yoghurt.

You can also enjoy your own homemade pickles to get a daily dose of probiotics. Knowing that the majority of our immune system lies in our gut should lead us to increased consciousness that whatever we eat directly impacts our immune health.

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