The changing seasons can be a major trigger for various infections like the common cold, the flu and allergies and that’s why it is essential to support your personal defense mechanism, the immune system. Let’s take a look at some simple tips to give your immune system a natural boost to avoid falling ill through fall and future months.
Avoid Falling Ill This Fall
Many of us take our immune system for granted, especially when it is strong and working efficiently to keep diseases away. As we age, the immune system can start deteriorating and may need extra support to function well.
Did you know that the flu and respiratory infections are among the leading causes of death in seniors aged 65 and older, around the world? This is why it becomes essential to understand the importance of the immune system and the need to support it before it deteriorates too much.
The key to good immunity is to follow a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise and ample sleep. This will not only support your immune system, but it will also help the other systems in the body to function effectively, thus helping you maintain good overall health.
Boost your immune system by following these tips:
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Making exercise a habit
Regular exercise, even if it comprises only a 30-minute walk, four to five times a week, can make a major difference. Apart from helping you maintain a healthy weight, exercising can enhance your mood, support healthy cognition and, of course, boost immunity.
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Eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated
A balanced diet should provide all the essential nutrients for overall well-being, and as long as your diet does that it doesn’t matter whether you are a staunch meat eater, vegetarian or vegan. Remember to incorporate more fresh produce into your diet to get the maximum benefits of the natural nutrients present in them. Also, keep the body hydrated with healthy fluids like water or green tea.
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Staying in your healthy weight range
Everyone has a specific weight range that is considered healthy, based on age, height and physical activity. It is recommended to try and stay within that range to maintain healthy immunity and keep away other conditions like diabetes and heart ailments.
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Sleeping well
Sleep deprivation is a major issue in today’s stress-filled world and can often lead to problems like weight gain, high blood pressure and weaker immunity. Hence, it is important to try and get the recommended six to eight hours of sleep every day for optimum health benefits.
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Quitting smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol
Both alcohol and tobacco can do a lot of harm to different aspects of your health, so it is advisable to quit smoking if you are a smoker and to keep your alcohol consumption minimal; for instance, stick to the one glass of red wine that may support heart health.
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Considering supplements
If you feel that your diet may be lacking in certain nutrients, talk to your doctor about adding supplements to compensate for the deficiencies. Some supplements like magnesium, zinc and vitamin C can support the healthy functioning of your immune system.
Stress is one of the main factors that impact the healthy functioning of the immune system, so it might be beneficial to include stress-busting activities like meditation or yoga into your routine. With a good routine in place, you can keep your immunity intact and avoid falling ill this season.
References
Dunn, S. T. (2016, September 09). 5 No-Fuss Ways to Boost Immunity This Fall. Retrieved from https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-pantry/how-to-naturally-boost-immunity-this-fall
Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). How to boost your immune system – Harvard Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
