While we all know a little about our immune systems’ importance, few of us know how to boost it. Let’s scroll further to know more about the benefits of boosting the immune system and the ways to do it.
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Benefits of Boosting the Immune System
The immune system is a complicated network of different organisms, including cells, tissues, organs, and the substances they make. This system works as a barrier, preventing viruses and bacteria from attacking organs. Boosting your Immune system provides a few important benefits for the human body, including:
1. Identifying foreign substances
Our immune system is designed to identify foreign invaders from the environment, such as germs, parasites, and transplanted organs and tissues. A strong immune system must be able to recognize which substances belong to the body and which do not. Then, our immune system helps destroy those invaders.
2. Prevent Infections or Diseases
Disease-causing microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus make our body more susceptible to colds and flu. Boosting our immune system helps the body fight against those harmful germs. Many symptoms arise from the immune system fighting against colds or flu, such as runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever, and muscle pain.
3. Fighting off some cancer cells
Some cells of the immune system can identify cancer cells as abnormal and destroy them.
However, the defenses of the immune system are not able to eliminate all malignant cells present in the body. Cancer cells can “trick” the immune system in many different ways.
Because cancer is adaptable and aggressive against our normal immune system, some treatments battle cancer by stimulating the immune system to perform at a higher level. Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy that uses substances made from living organisms to treat cancer.
How to Boost Your Immune System
1. Exercise Regularly
Engaging in physical activity is a healthy living habit that helps enhance the immune system.
Exercise can cause changes in antibodies and white blood cells. If these antibodies or white blood cells circulate more quickly, they can identify infections earlier than before. Also, the increase in body temperature during and after exercise helps prevent bacteria from growing.
Whatever type of exercise you choose, at whatever intensity you can manage, it still has a beneficial impact on your immune system.
2. Build a Healthy Diet
A well-balanced and healthy diet can strengthen one’s immune response. Without balanced nutrition, your body is more susceptible to disease, infection, fatigue, and low performance. To keep your immune system in good shape, try incorporating vitamins such as A, C, D, E and minerals such as Folate, Iron, Selenium, and Zinc into your diet.
3. Drink Enough Water
The water we drink circulates throughout the body in the form of bodily fluids such as blood. These fluids are responsible for various functions that keep us alive, one of which is to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Our immune system is highly dependent on these nutrients. It is important for your immune system to have a healthy volume of blood and lymphatic fluids in the body.
Moreover, our kidneys remove waste from the body in the form of urine with the help of water. Drinking enough water also keeps our arteries open, allowing blood to flow more quickly.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Studies have shown that lack of sleep puts you at a higher risk of getting sick. Cytokines, also known as sleep regulators, are proteins released by the immune system. Sickness or infection results in a reduction of these beneficial cytokines. Long-term sleep shortage can disrupt your immune system, so you’re less likely to be able to fend off any viruses. Lack of sleep can lead to many other potential problems, such as high blood pressure.
Sleep quality is also essential. If it takes you lots of time to fall asleep or you wake up during the night regularly, your sleep quality is considered poor. If you experience serious trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor.
5. Drink Less Alcohol, Smoke Less Tobacco
Alcohol interrupts the immune system’s pathways. It dampens the immune system’s ability to gear up and fight against harmful germs. Drinking alcohol may damage the immune cells that help defend against bacteria and viruses. Excessive alcohol consumption weakens the defense mechanisms, making it more difficult to fight off a cold, virus, or other bacterial diseases.
Like alcohol, smoking harms the immune system and makes the body less effective in defending itself against diseases. Smoking results in rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the joints and causes swelling or pain.
Drinkers and smokers are more likely to have negative health consequences. Thus, putting these harmful habits to rest is a way to help heal the damage in your body.
If you have questions about your immune system or any health problems, connect with us and learn more.
At Peak Human, our team of healthcare professionals is dedicated to helping you reach your ‘peak’ health with a custom whole-person approach. Using the most cutting-edge, science-backed biohacking and aesthetic tools, technologies, and treatments available today, we help you achieve the highest physical/cognitive performance state, leading to an improved overall quality of life.
For questions or to book an appointment, don’t hesitate to contact us. Get personalized support and insight from expert physicians.
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