In the midst of keeping off various illnesses and more recently, the novel coronavirus, the importance of boosting one's immune system is now in everyone's mind. While frequently washing your hands and following a good personal hygiene are important precautions one can take to prevent getting sick, enhancing your immunity and staying healthy has become more important than ever.







Now, do not rush to pop vitamin pills or supplements that promise to enhance your immunity like never before. Experts claim that there are no herbs or pills that work like magic. Instead, medical professionals recommend everyone to stick to the basic and proven ways to strengthen the immune system. The below given 8 strategies are simple and can be easily incorporated in your day-to-day life to improve your immunity and lead a healthy lifestyle.





1. Regular Moderate Exercise







Want to boost your immune system? Then exercise regularly. It is as simple as that. Exercising is one of the best methods to keep you active and for a generally good health. There is enough science-based evidence that shows that moderate exercise, when done regularly, aids cardiovascular health, keeps blood pressure under check, helps burn off that extra calories and also gives considerable benefits to your circulatory and immune system.





As mentioned above, the important point here is to exercise consistently and moderately. Do not go overboard with intense exercise regimes and stress your body. Likewise, also do not work out past exhaustion or if you are ill. For a healthy adult, doing moderate exercise for 150 minutes a week or 30-45 minutes for 4 days/week is enough. This workout regime when followed religiously, will help considerably in strengthening your immune system and preparing it against possible viral infections.





So what are you waiting for? Go for a walk, swim, grab your yoga mat for some stretching and toning exercises, cycle for half an hour, use the stairs instead of the elevator, dance, play a sport or use a gym. Again, if you do not have time to go outdoors everyday and want to workout at home, then an indoor exercise equipment can help too. After all, any activity is fine than none at all.



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2. Eat Food that Boost Immunity









Eating fresh fruits and vegetables and having a balanced diet is what every nutritionist and doctor would recommend for a good health. For proper nutrition although, it is vital to eat a variety of these food items and not just one type of vegetable/fruit or your favorite ones.





Additionally, science shows that foods that are enriched with vitamins A, B, C, D and E, antioxidants and minerals (particularly iron, zinc and selenium) help in building the body's immune system. Some of these immune-boosting food include - carrots, beets, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, egg plant (brinjal), bell peppers, oranges, sweet lime, papaya, kiwi, pineapple, berries, guava, grapefruit, tomatoes, lemon, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Moreover, legumes, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, yoghurt, organic green tea , oily fish, eggs and chicken (cleaned and cooked properly) are also packed with essential nutrients and known to be powerful immune system boosters.





Hence, plan your meals in such a way that you include more of the above mentioned food items in your regular diet. By giving your body the needed nutrients, you not only help better your body's immunity naturally but also aid in its fight against potential infections.





3. Get Ample Sleep





Do not underestimate the importance of sufficient sleep and the benefits it bring to one's overall health. Time and again, researchers have demonstrated, that enough restful sleep in the night contributes significantly to one's physical and mental well-being. On the other hand, studies also show that people who get insufficient sleep or enough quality sleep on a regular basis are not only more likely to catch cold, flu and other viruses but it will also affect their rate of recovery, in case of an illness.



With regards to sleep and immunity, it has been established that during sleep, our immune system works efficiently in releasing certain protective proteins (called cytokines) that help in fighting off infections and inflammation. Depriving yourself from a night's sleep or having less sleep on a daily basis might result in the body producing less of these 'protective cytokines' and thereby suppress your immune system from functioning fully.



But, how much sleep do you need? Well, according to experts, an average adult needs 7-8 hours of sleep on a regular basis, while children should get around 9-10 hours of nighttime sleep for good health. Hence, plan your daily schedule in such a way, that you can keep the 10 pm to 7 am window open, for you to close your eyes and have that much needed restful sleep at night.



4. Look for Ways to De-Stress



We all know that stress is part of life and generally experience it in our day-to-day life. However, if this stress is long-term, then it can cause serious impact on one's health and well-being.



Studies show that chronic stress causes the body to produce higher amount of steroid hormones or stress hormones called cortisol. If this cortisol is produced continuously in higher level, then it suppresses the immune system from effectively performing its job of protecting the body from viruses and bacteria. Additionally, elevated levels of stress also causes the body to produce more of inflammatory leukocytes (a type of white blood cells), which lowers the body's ability to thwart of foreign invaders.



T o protect yourself from the negative effects of stress, it is hence vital to look for healthy ways to manage it. Watching TV, reading a book, listening to music, nurturing a hobby, playing a sport, exercising regularly and practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, doing yoga or meditation are other doable strategies. Likewise, communicate more with your friends and family members. That can be through a call, face-timing or talking face-to-face. In short, stay connected and be positive and active to relax and lower stress.



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5. Get the Sunshine Vitamin







Vitamin D is required for the healthy functioning of the immune system as well as to prevent health ailments linked to the deficiency of this vitamin in the body. Ideally, one should get Vitamin D from food alone. However, it is not that easy. Many people are unable to get the recommended levels of vitamin D through the few available food items like fatty fish, cod liver oil , certain mushrooms, egg yolks and fortified food. Hence, some people resort to consuming Vitamin D supplements in required doses. Well, this is a good idea if you are living in a place that is far from the equator or during chilly winter months.



However, for people staying in countries near the equator and even during hot summers, getting ample sunlight is relatively easy. For these people, spending some time outdoors is a great idea. After all, estimates show that one can get 80% or more of Vitamin D from sunlight alone, provided, we allow it.



Numerous studies also show that ultraviolet B or UVB radiation from the sun helps in boosting Vitamin D in the body. That means, that the ideal time to spend time out in the sun is when the sun is quite bright (i.e. between 10 am to 3 pm). However, you also need to remember that over exposure to sun can be quite risky and can cause a number of skin ailments, including skin cancer.



Hence, when you decide to get Vitamin D from the sun during the given time window, do so in a safe and limited manner. Aim for about 10 to 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure on your body. Thereafter, apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or above and then move around outdoors. The crucial point to remember here is - to not overdo it and never get sunburnt.



6. Stop Smoking









'Smoking is injurious to health'. This phrase not only comes as a statutory warning in all cigarette packets but is also known to everyone . Unfortunately, many people still smoke. Smoking results in many health risks but particularly harms the respiratory system and the immune system.



With respect to the immune system, strong evidence shows that a person who smokes cigarettes habitually has a lower immune response. This makes him/her more at risk to catching infections, including several immune disorders. Additionally, it has also been noticed that a person who smokes regularly, has reduced levels of antibodies in his blood. This makes it harder to shake off common illnesses and prolong their duration, which a healthy person can otherwise get rid off comparatively easily.



If that was not all, then the damage to the sensitive lung tissues that frequent smoking does, is honestly, immeasurable. Apart from irritating the wind pipe and causing increased breathlessness, smokers are also at higher risk to respiratory and lung diseases like bronchitis and emphysema. Lung cancer is another major risk linked to smoking.



On the other hand, if you intend to stop smoking completely and act upon it, then be ready for good incentives to your immunity. Quitting smoking is challenging. But its benefits are many. Improved blood circulation, better sense of taste and smell, improved immune system, lower risk to lung and heart related diseases and reduced levels of coughing are some among them.



7. Limit Alcohol Consumption



There have been several studies and debates on how alcohol consumption harms one's health in several ways. So, when it comes immunity, it is not surprising to note that excessive alcohol consumption does crop up as one of the main causes of weak immune system.



According to numerous researches, excessive alcohol intake depletes the immune cells of the lungs and respiratory system. This is the reason why heavy drinkers are more at risk to catching colds, flus, pneumonia and even serious illnesses like acute respiratory distress syndrome, heart diseases and certain cancers, than those who do not drink at all. While drinking regularly and heavily is certainly the riskiest for the immunity, binge drinking and alcohol intake among pregnant women is also quite bad for the immune system.



Well, if you do not drink at all, then it is really good. Do not start it. On the other hand, if you drink alcohol, then it is best to practice moderation. For adult men, limiting alcohol to 1-2 drinks a day and for women, 1 drink a day, qualifies as moderate amount of alcohol intake, according to NIH

