Increase ImmunityTop 10 Ways to Increase Immunity
-
Exercise Regularly
Frequent and moderate exercise helps to boost your circulation and increase immunity. On the other hand, over stressing at the gym will reduce your immunity power. Exercise helps increase a type of cells called macrophages which attack bacteria that cause upper respiratory diseases. Studies have shown that the immune system experiences physiological changes when a person exercises. The cells that promote immunity and are capable of killing both bacteria and viruses circulate through the system more rapidly. The body returns to normal within a few hours after exercising, but a regular exercise routine appears to extend periods of immunity.
-
Consume Foods with Vitamin D
Consuming Vitamin D supplements can be beneficial for health especially when fighting against respiratory infections including cold & flu. Vitamin D can also be obtained by exposing your bare skin to sunlight between 11am to 4pm. In order for your skin to produce vitamin D, your shadow has to be shorter than you. Some of the foods which are great sources of vitamin D are milk, fatty fish, orange juice and fortified food such as cereals.
-
Avoid Excess Medications
Excessive medications hamper your immunity system and can seriously affect your liver function, kidney function & even your reproductive function. Even though medicines and antibiotics help in recovering the body from diseases, it does not help improve the body’s immunity. People who consume excessive antibiotics had reduced levels of cytokines which are hormone messengers of the immune system. Therefore, avoid unnecessary medications to increase immunity.
-
Trade Coffee with Green Tea
Coffee has some antioxidants. But high acid levels of coffee may prevent the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and potassium from food. It may also dehydrate the body. Green tea is a healthier alternative. Green tea contains disease-fighting polyphenols and flavonoids which are effective antioxidants that identify cell-damaging free radicals and destroy them. Therefore, drinking green tea is a great way to increase immunity.
-
Resist Smoking & Drinking
Smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol can interfere with immune function and increase the risk of infections. Alcohol suppresses the immune function when consumed in excess. It is also advisable to avoid second hand smoke as much as possible. Excessive smoking and alcohol stresses the lungs and immune systems and makes it harder to provide the balance needed to prevent infections. Avoid smoking and alcohol as much as possible to increase immunity and preventing infections and diseases.
-
Eliminate Toxic Foods
Avoid unnatural substances like food additives, artificial colors and flavors and preservatives found in commercial food. Prolonged and excessive consumption of refined sugars and highly processed foods containing chemical additives, preservatives and pesticides weakens the immune system. The chances of developing chronic conditions increase because of this. The ability of the white blood cells to kill bacteria reduces significantly after consumption of sugar. Therefore, it is very important to include lots of vegetables, fruits, low-fat milk and whole grains.
-
Maintain Good Hygiene
Most infections develop due to touching contaminated surfaces and then touching our eyes, nose or mouth. The possibility of infections can be reduced by habits such as brushing your teeth twice daily, properly washing your hands before consuming food and trimming nails to keep them neat and tidy. A poor hygiene routine exposes the body to more germs which ultimately results in a weak immune system. Therefore, maintaining good hygiene is a great way to increase immunity.
-
Get Enough Sleep
Lack of sleep compromises the immune system and therefore you should have adequate sleep every day. Adequate sleep helps the immune system to rebuild and replenish making it much more effective in fighting infections and diseases. Inadequate sleep is highly associated with reduction in the number of T-cells. Sleep deprived people are more likely to get sick after being exposed to viruses such as the common cold. Therefore, you need to get enough sleep to increase immunity.
-
Laugh your Heart Out
Laughing improves your immunity system and also your mental health. Therefore, spend fun time with your family and friends to lead a healthy life. Laughter is the best medicine and therefore a great way to increase immunity.
-
Consume Immunity Boosting Foods
Consume immunity boosting foods such as watermelon, wheat germ, yogurt, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli, garlic, ginger, pomegranate juice etc for improving your overall immunity. Watermelon contains glutathione, an antioxidant which helps in strengthening the immune system. Eat the pulpy red flesh near the rind to get the most glutathione from the watermelon. Wheat germ can also be consumed to increase immunity. It is a great source of antioxidants, B vitamins and zinc. Wheat germ also contains a great combination of protein, fibre and some healthy fat.
Low fat yogurt contains probiotics which may help in easing the severity of colds. Spinach is a natural immune booster and is considered as a super food due to its ability to increase immunity in the body. Spinach contains folate which is highly beneficial in helping the body make new cells and repair DNA. It also contains fiber and antioxidants such as vitamin C. Substitute coffee with tea as it helps to increase immunity in the body. Sweet potatoes help in removing the damaging free radicals with the help of beta-carotene that converts to vitamin A. This results in increasing immunity in the body and might even improve the aging process. Similar to spinach, broccoli is also a great immune boosting food that is very beneficial to the body. It contains vitamin A, C and glutathione which all help in increasing immunity. Raw garlic is very effective against skin infections. With its ability to fight fungi, bacteria and viruses it is considered a very good immune boosting food. A garlic supplement can also be consumed to reduce body cholesterol. Therefore, consuming immunity boosting foods is a great way to increase immunity power.
Yoga for Immunity
Yoga is a holistic practice which strengthens our body physically as well as mentally. As a result, the body’s defense mechanism also improves in such a condition. A healthy life can be easily achieved if we learn to adopt a healthy lifestyle, healthy food choices and regular practice of yoga. Ayurveda, yoga and meditation are the ideal factors to strengthen ones immunity
Read more on Yoga for Immunity... Ayurveda for improving immunity
Ayurveda, the oldest medicinal system in the world, states the power of the body that prevents the development of diseases or resists a developed disease is called immunity. In Ayurveda, strong immunity or strong resistance to disease is called ojas (protection) and the ability of body to discriminate effectively between foreign bodies and healthy cells and tissues is called tejas, or intelligence of the body.
Read more on Ayurvedic Immunity Booster... Exercise for Boosting Immunity
An exercise regime or any moderate Physical activity like cycling, walking or jogging is believed to help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. Exercise causes changes in antibodies and white blood cells (WBC). WBCs are the body's immune system cells that helps fight diseases. These antibodies or WBCs circulate more rapidly, so they could detect illnesses earlier than they might have before.
Read more on Exercise and Immunity... Diet for Improving Immunity
It is not only important to eat Intelligently at proper intervals, in right quantity and on fixed timings but is also important to eat intelligent foods which include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and light dairy products. If you choose fresh, whole foods that are not altered by processing, then your meal is going to wake up the intelligence of nature and convert quickly to ojas there by leading you to healthy immunity.
Read more on Diet to Increase Immunity... Increasing Immunity during Changing Seasons In changing season people are more vulnerable to respiratory problems as body functions differently in each season, and in the transition between the hot and cold seasons the digestive fire can start to oscillate dramatically. Thus it is important to adjust your diet and routine for the seasonal transitions, or else body’s immune system will weaken by respiratory illnesses and allergies.
Source – www.webmd.com
Improving Immunity in Summer Season
In summer immune health has a great chance to get stronger. 20 minutes a day outside between 11 am and 4 pm with as much unprotected skin as possible for it to produce vitamin D is an ideal thing to do. Remember that your shadow has to be shorter than you for vitamin D to be produced in your skin. In 20 minutes your body will make between 10,000 and 15,000 IU of this sunshine vitamin depending on your age and skin pigmentation, which will boost your immune health over the course of summer if you do it daily.
Read more on Improving Immunity in Summer Season... Improving Immunity in Winter Season
In this season people are more vulnerable to respiratory problems as body functions differently in each season, and in the transition between the hot and cold seasons the digestive fire can start to oscillate dramatically. Thus it is important to adjust your diet and routine for the seasonal transitions, or else body’s immune system will weaken by respiratory illnesses and allergies.
Read more on Improving Immunity in Winter Season... Boosting immunity in Medical Conditions There are various aspects which cause various medical conditions, genetic factors, seasons, certain foods, stress, poor mental health, negative emotions (guilt, anger, envy, jealousy)etc. Thus boosting immunity and adopting healthy lifestyle is extremely vital on regular basis to keep these conditions at bay.
Boosting Immunity in Pregnancy
In Pregnancy immune system is naturally suppressed to accommodate the growing baby and an attack by any other virus or a disease or a cold and flu is potentially a bad combination. To boost mother’s immunity naturally and keep unborn baby safe, some basic steps are highly recommended.
Read more on Boosting Immunity in Pregnancy... Improving immunity in Cold
Generally the culprits behind colds are digestive impurities (ama) and cold temperatures. Both elements can throw the body's digestive fire (agni) out of balance. This digestive fire regulates moisture in the body. An imbalance allows mucus to pile up in the upper body.
Changes in lifestyle and Diet can not only help to fight the cold but may also keep it at bay.
Read more on Improving immunity in Cold... Improving immunity in sickness
Our immune system plays two vital roles in our body. First, it responds to foreign organisms by producing antibodies and stimulating specialized cells which destroy those organisms or neutralize their toxic products. Thereby defending against germs, viruses, bacteria, and the like. And second, it guards over the cells of our body to ensure that they are not abnormal or degenerating.
Read more on Improving immunity in sickness... Increasing Immunity against Allergies
Healthy diet, adequate sleep and meditation are believed to be important pillars of health, when allergies attack our immune system, these three areas require special attention. Rest boosts a depressed immune system. During a bout of allergy, our immunity is weakened. Hence it is important to get a good night’s sleep.
Read more on Increasing Immunity against Allergies... Improving immunity in all Age Groups The immune as well as the endocrine system experiences profound changes with aging, thereby increasing the susceptibility to infectious diseases and decreasing the efficacy of vaccination. Both men and women at advancing age exhibit reduced abilities to mount appropriate antibody responses. On other hand due changing weather, pollution, sedentary lifestyle (due to dependence on TV, Tabs and phone) even children are easy targets of germs and diseases. Thereby making focus on strengthening of immune system of utmost importance for all age groups.
Source – www.webmd.com
Boosting immunity for Babies and Toddlers
We all know that majority of childhood illnesses are caused by viruses which obviously means improving immunity of you baby is the only solution. Some less challenging tips to do so are serve more fruits and vegetables such as Carrots, green beans, oranges, strawberries as they all contain immunity-boosting phytonutrients as vitamin C and......
Read more on Boosting immunity for Babies and Toddlers... Boosting Immunity in Adults
- Boosting your immunity can actually be very simple if you set a routine or a pattern for yourself.
- Sleep deprivation and stress causes hormonal changes which in long run suppresses immune function. Avoid tobacco smoke as it undermines basic immune defenses and raises the risk of bronchitis and pneumonia in everyone.
Read more on Boosting Immunity in Adults... Improving immunity in Children/Kids
Developing a healthy immune system for a child should start from the first day of your baby’s birth. And nothing works better than the mother’s milk as it is enriched with lifesaving anti-bodies. “You are what you Eat! “There can be nothing truer than this adage. So serve lots of fresh fruits and vegetables at least 3-5 portions a day to your kids as they are rich source vitamins and minerals and antibodies.
Read more on Improving immunity in Children/Kids... Improving Immunity in Elderly/Senior Citizen
Having any form of illness is bad enough at any age, but for the elderly, getting sick can be a very serious matter. Even a mild case of the flu can easily turn into pneumonia for elderly patients, and that can quickly turn into a life-threatening situation.
Read more on Improving Immunity in Elderly/Senior Citizen... Boosting Immunity in Both Sexes Males and females differ in their immunological responses to foreign and self-antigens and show distinctions in innate and adaptive immune responses. Certain immunological sex differences are present throughout life, whereas others are only apparent after puberty.
Certain researches believe that a gene called Module 52 that was highly activated in men increases higher levels of testosterone and decreases the immune response in men, but in today’s polluted environment it’s must for both sexes to incorporate changes in lifestyle and diet to strengthen immunity.
Source- www.everydayhealth.com
Boosting immunity system in Males
In today's life we deal with various stresses; emotional, physical, work related and environmental causing various lifestyle diseases, hampering our immune system. Men have dual responsibility of being bread earner and helping with running errands for home, there by getting exposed to germs of every form.
Read more on Boosting immunity system in Males... Boosting immunity system in Females
In today's life we deal with various stresses; emotional, physical, work related and environmental causing various lifestyle diseases, hampering our immune system. Today’s women either have dual responsibility of being domestic engineer and the bread earner or are running all the errands there by getting exposed to germs of every form. Thus following lifestyle changes are highly recommended to boost your immunity.
Read more on Boosting immunity system in Females...