With winter approaching and flu season just around the corner, many people are looking to grab every opportunity to avoid getting sick and look for ways to boost the immune system.
But, without a proper plan and a healthy lifestyle, it’s hard to do. That’s because there is more to boosting immunity than it meets the eye.
Latest reports show that a staggering 3% of American adults have a weakened or suppressed immune function. It’s important to mitigate these problems and live a healthy life, whether it is due to an immunity-suppressing condition, like AIDS, or an unhealthy diet.
Here, we will show you exactly how to make improved immunity a reality. So, let’s dive right into the key components of a fully functioning immune system, including the best ways to safeguard your immune defense through the winter.
The Basics Of Immune Health: What Is An Immune System?
The immune system comprises a complex network of proteins and cells capable of defending the system from an invading infection. It features two primary components: the adaptive immune system and the innate immune system.
You develop the adaptive immune system when you are exposed to germs, toxins, or chemicals. The innate immune system is something you are born with. The immune system stores records of every microbe that it took down. This allows it to destroy and recognize germs quicker after they’ve re-entered the body.
However, some bacterium can out-smart the host. Pathological conditions like digestive diseases, heart disease, or bacterial infection can impair the normal immune response. So, the bacteria will survive and thrive.
People with an acute or chronic disease who use medicine that impair immunity have a weaker immune system. They are more likely to get sick and experience lengthier diseases and hospitalizations.
Why Is A Strong Immune System Important?
Before you can work on your immune health, it’s crucial to understand its importance. The main aspect of a strong immune system is to serve as a shield for the body against bacteria and viruses.
If it’s too weak, the bacteria and viruses would have free reign, and you will regularly get sick. So, it’s a good idea to have a couple of healthy immune system boosting strategies up your sleeve.
What Causes A Weak Immune System?
There are a ton of causes that can impair immune function. They can make a person immunocompromised, which is a red flag for the wintery season. Disorders such as these range from mild to severe.
In certain individuals, they are present at birth. For others, they develop over time or due to environmental factors.
These include:
- Viral hepatitis
- Food allergies
- HIV
- Autoimmune diseases (type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.)
- Lack of proper nutrient intake due to malnutrition
- Cancer that spreads into the bone marrow
- Medical treatments (steroid use, radiotherapy, cancer drugs, or chemo)
Almost 4% of the global population has at least one or more autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune illnesses represent the third most frequent cause of chronic complications in the U.S.
Despite being rare, they impact 5% to 8% of the American population. And their prevalence is currently on the rise, experts explain.
5 Tips to Safeguard Your Immune System Through Winter
Figuring out how to boost your immune system should be a top priority. With age, the immune function begins to deteriorate slowly.
1) Maintain a Diet Packed With Vitamins and Minerals
Roughly 80% of Americans don’t consume the suggested vitamin and mineral intake, while countless people overeat processed food and refined sugar.
A diet rich in vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin C creates a great immune balance in winter. Foods like fatty fish, leafy green veggies, sweet potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables are viable choices.
Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption rate and promotes bone health. But a vitamin D deficiency can have drastic implications on the immune system.
Vitamin E is equally important. Vitamin E can boost cells division and T cell capacity. With more T cells, the body creates effective immune synapses. This fat-soluble antioxidant protects the polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidation and regulates reactive oxygen species production.
Any probiotic can also prove useful. They are beneficial bacteria capable of synthesizing any vitamin and supporting the immune system. Zinc paired with any vitamin can benefit the body in more ways than one. It boosts immunity, wound regeneration, and growth rate.
Lean meat can come in handy for a healthy diet. The low-fat content and high vitamin intake is a great way to support overall health. Fermented foods are another great option. They can decrease the risk of infection, particularly from the common cold.
But to know how to boost your immune system through diet, you need to implement a regular and balanced diet. Don’t think that just drinking green tea once or eating fatty fish every now and then can give you the ultimate health boost. Consistency matters.
2) Use Adequate Stress Reduction Techniques
Stress becomes your worst enemy. When you are under a lot of stress, your overall health suffers.
The immune system also goes through a big ordeal. Its ability to fight off antigens declines. So, you become susceptible to a viral infection or respiratory infection.
Corticosteroid, the stress hormone, impairs the number of lymphocytes. The best way to deal with stress is through the following techniques.
- Exercise – Regular physical activity alleviates mental and physical unrest. Exercise also makes stronger immunity. With exercise, people can flush out bacteria quicker. Regular exercise increases lymph flow, circulation and helps avoid inflammation. Any moderate exercise is a good way to start.
- Use essential oils – Ginger and eucalyptus are practical choices for enhancing immune function. They also have potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help with inflammation.
- Meditate – Chronic stress comes in many forms. Cultivating mindfulness through meditation improves immune cells count and inflammation. It can also keep the immune system on the right track.
- Cut back on caffeine – High caffeine intake increases the odds of anxiety and stress. It can keep you awake at night and feel jittery. So, up the vitamin intake rather than caffeine for better overall health.
3) Make Hydration a Top Priority
Countless people ask how to boost your immune system. But, many overlook the impact of good hydration.
According to experts from the University of California, staying well-hydrated can keep the immune system in solid shape.
Our body is highly dependent on nutrients, vitamin intake, and water. Without water, it is difficult to transport any vitamin or nutrient to the organs. Hydration detoxifies the pathways, thus ensuring lymphatic drainage.
So, to have a better chance at avoiding an infectious disease, incorporating healthy habits like hydration becomes a crucial strategy for overall health.
4) Leave More Time in Your Schedule for Sleep
When we sleep, the body creates infection-fighting molecules. Proper sleep can reduce the risk of getting sick every time you get exposed to viruses.
If you want to give your immune system a fighting chance, then make sure to get some Zs. With a little bit of effort, you can go a long way.
5) Supplements
Natural supplements can go a long way to boost your immune system.
That’s why we’ve compiled a bundle of essential supplements to support, protect, and boost your immune system this winter throughout cold and flu season.
Clinically formulated to strengthen and improve the immune system, our Immune Support Program contains three powerful supplements that work synergistically to enhance your immunity.
Products in the bundle:
Beta Glucan
Beta Glucan is an immune system supplement containing 500mg of beta-glucan.
Beta Glucan helps your body maintain a healthy immune system, lowers your chance of becoming sick, fights flu, and speeds up recovery after injury.
Studies show Beta Glucan can speed up the healing of wounds, burns, or post-surgery recovery. Some studies suggest an increase in immunity of approximately 400%.
Wild Antarctic Krill Oil
Wild Antarctic Krill Oil is our pure krill oil supplement sourced from the clean, pure, and unpolluted waters of the Antarctic.
Compared to fish oil, our krill oil supplement is more easily absorbed, more effective, and requires a much lower dose than fish oil to have the same effect.
This supplement can boost your immune system, improve brain health, lubricate and protect joints, and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It will also help reduce inflammation and protect you against some of the biggest killers of men and women over 50, including heart disease, stroke, and dementia.
Daily Energy
Daily Energy is our vitamin B complex supplement. It contains eight B vitamins and two other natural ingredients to help strengthen your immune system, increase strength and balance, improve memory and focus, and restore libido.
Clinically formulated, Daily Energy can help your body increase energy levels, slow the cognitive and clinical decline rate, and improve blood flow.
Takeaway
An all-natural, clinical-grade program formulated to:
- Support and maintain a healthy immune system.
- Fight free radicals to prevent oxidative damage.
- Reduce fatigue and improve energy levels.
- Protect you from seasonal flus, infections, and viruses
- Reduce injury, wound, and disease recovery times
Conclusion
There is a lot that goes on when boosting the immune system and general health. But, you can’t expect to get remarkable health results overnight.
Giving the body a good health boost requires effort, dedication, and consistency. The strategies we selected here are the best options to give your immune system the boost it needs.
As you can see, the immune system is a complex network. Therefore, you should treat it as such. Implementing multiple strategies instead of one can help you reap the results.
If you are unsure about your health or need extra advice, talk to your doctor. Sometimes making drastic dietary changes can significantly affect an individual.
So, you want to make sure you can work on your immunity without any problems getting in the way. Now that you know the sheer impact of a fully functional immune system, you can take better care of your body.
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