The Top 8 Habits Helping You Build A Strong Immune System
The Immune System
‘The immune system’ generally refers to the body’s personal ability to detect and fight off foreign invaders, also known as ‘antigens’. The whole of the immune system itself is spread throughout the body and includes defence cells, vessels and certain organs which produce and grow cells, as well as provide the battleground.
Top 8 Habits
To Support A Strong Immune System
You might find that some of these tips sound familiar as if they’re like general health recommendations.
That’s because they are. The immune system is a component of “general health.”
Our aim is to put these recommendations into the context of the immune system in the hope that helping you understand the WHY helps you on the motivation front.
But! Before you read on…
It’s important to note, the title:
Habits to support a strong immune system.
They are not treatment and they are not fail-safe. These tips are also, NOT specific to the coronavirus, rather general immune system support.
The best prevention for the current coronavirus, is to follow health and government recommendations through good hygiene and social distancing – prevent the virus entering your body (or others’) in the first place.
#1 Manage your Stress
Some stress is normal and a part of life. It provides a challenge to overcome and as a result, we become stronger. It pushes motivation, and it positively activates the immune system.
However, when stress is unmanaged and persistent, the stress hormone cortisol is raised excessively, for too long and begins to interfere with the immune system in numerous ways.
If stress is something you struggle with, make a plan, talk to some of your friends, family or a professional, and figure out how to manage it!
Beyond blue has a helpful page here and we have some more stress management tips here.
#2 Exercise
Bouts of Moderate exercise, less than 45 minutes are deemed to be “immune-enhancing,” by stimulating the increase of numerous defence cells.
Bonus: Great stress management, plus all the other health benefits of exercise, including brain power!
⚠️Don’t exercise if you actually are sick! It increase risk of dehydration, plus take precious metabolic energy away from the immune system!
#3 Eat a balanced diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is important for all of the cells in our body, including those that make up the immune system!
Food provides energy as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which all play essential part in the immune system functioning.
Zinc and Vitamin A are essential in regulating immune cell growth.
Amino acid Arginine is required to produce Nitrox Oxide, which also regulates immune cell growth and activity, and itself can be toxic to antigens. Glutamine is another amino acid that supports energy for immune responses as well as immune cell production.
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and interacts with other immune enzymes and proteins.
Vitamin C regulates the inflammation response and has also been shown to stimulate white blood cell activity, as well as strengthen the walls of organs and blood vessels. One study showed an even higher immune response when combined with red ginseng.
Probiotics reduce inflammatory immune cells and support a favourable environment in the gut, where a large proportion of immune cells are found. Prebiotics not only feeds the probiotics but also improve the function of the intestinal wall.
Flavour your food with garlic and onion, if you can tolerate them. The sulphur-compound Quercetin strengthens the protection around our body’s cells and can slow down reproduction of antigens gens. The amino acid Allicin acts as an antioxidant as well as defending the immune system by attaching to antigens.
No nutrient does not have a role in health. We could be here all day, if we discussed all of them.
Basically, the point is to eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of vegetables, legumes, fruit and protein sources.
#4 Sleep Well
Sleep is anti-inflammatory! And, while the body is resting, extra energy is allocated to the immune system to do it’s job.
Sleeping also supports the production of immune defence cells, with disrupted sleep being associated with a weakened immune system.
As usual, more is not always better. Quality although, is important. This article has some tips to help your sleep.
#5 Sunbathe, preferably in fresh air
Sunshine converts Vitamin D inside our body. Vitamin D strengthens the intestinal wall and also influences the production of various immune cells and proteins.
It’s important not to get sunburnt though, that comes with other risks!
Where possible, get outside for some fresh air, or at least open some windows. Some studies have found fresh air has a disinfectant effect, although they are not quite sure why, yet.
Fresh air is probably good for sanity too!!
#6 Maintain Oral Hygiene
Brush and floss.
There are various bacteria in your mouth that are associated with numerous diseases, including pneumonia. With Covid19 attacking the respiratory system, that’s the last thing you need!
#7 Try not to Smoke (or Vape)
With Covid19 attacking the respiratory system, having weaker lungs isn’t a great idea.
But not only does smoking and vaping damage lungs, it also has direct effects on the structures of the immune system through inflammation and oxidation, as well as damage to immune system DNA!
They cause a spike in immune activity, which means the immune system is activated and is responding to the smoking. Not only does this indicate a threat, by doing so, but it also places an extra load on the immune system. This includes passive smoking.
#8 Minimise Alcohol
Some people use alcohol as a stress relief, but it might be worth exploring some other options!
Alcohol has been shown to disrupt immune pathways. It also disrupts the gut bacteria as well as the function of the intestinal wall (which is to keep good things in and bad things out).
It’s not just frequent, heavy alcohol use, research shows that acute binge drinking also affects the immune system. Cochrane Review Australia defines binge drinking as more than 5 standard drinks on one occasion. This is associated with the amount of alcohol and level of risk, which increases after about 4-6 drinks.
With great (immune) power
comes great responsibility
If you do all this, and have a super immune system, just keep in mind that you can be fighting (and winning) an immune fight and not know about. Hence, you could be carrying a virus, pass it on and not be aware.
So, abide by the hygiene and social distancing suggestions!!
~ Biara Webster
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