How to Strengthen Immune System in 24 Hours
Your immune system is your body’s way of protecting you against illness and infection. When it’s working well, you’re able to fight off bacteria, viruses, and other germs that make you sick. But when it’s not working well, it might react too much or too little. Too little means that you’re susceptible to colds and other ailments. Too much can create an autoimmune illness or other disorders.
The best way to improve your immune system is to give it as much to work with as possible.
Here are some ways to boost your immune system:
1. Get outside fresh air
Fresh air always does a body good, and there are many benefits to being out in nature. Research indicates that vitamin D may help prevent chronic illness, improve your bone health, and ease depression.
While you’re outside, open a window or two and let the air in your home circulate. Many of us commute less than we used to. Rebreathing the same stale air can increase your chances of getting sick and leave you feeling less than invigorated.
2. Get better sleep
Sleep might be the single most important factor in regulating — or disregulating — our immune function. Studies show that people who are sleep deprived are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus. It seems that sleep is important for our systems to properly “remember” and fight off infections. So if you’re feeling sluggish, do yourself and your immunity a favor and sleep it off.
3. Healthy diets
What you eat — and how you eat it — affects your overall health in multiple ways.
For one, food is an important source of nutrients for the body. What you eat can help improve your sleep hygiene, your concentration, and your energy levels. If you eat certain foods that you have a sensitivity to, they may trigger an immune response (just like a pathogen does). This is what we know as an allergic response.
It’s also important to cultivate a mindful and positive relationship with food, which can be challenging for many of us. Food is nourishing, but it’s also meant to be enjoyed. It shouldn’t become a source of stress. Talking to a nutritionist about your eating habits can help you make dietary choices that are right for you.
4. Regular Exercise
Physical activity doesn’t just boost the immune system — it actually helps to moderate it. Regular exercise helps prevent the immune response from becoming hyperactive. It lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, and the risk of heart disease.
Physical exercise is anti-inflammatory and can help reduce stress. It also helps you sleep better and get you outside, making it a great way to knock off most of this list.
5. Reduce your stress
When we’re stressed, our body activates the flight-or-flight response. That part of our nervous system was designed to help us escape from predators, so it prioritizes efficient action. After all, it doesn’t make sense to be in recovery mode when you’re fighting off a raptor.
