When looking to build up your body’s natural strength against illnesses, there are several things that you can do. However, it’s not an easy undertaking. There are many different lifestyles and dietary changes that you should consider when trying to help strengthen your body’s natural response to things such as harmful pathogens. Here are some simple ways to help boost your immune system.
Make sure you’re sleeping well
You may ask yourself, “What does sleep have to do with me fighting off diseases?” but sleep is more powerful than you think. Sleeping is the body’s natural recuperating time, allowing your body time to figure out the best way to fight the illnesses that you may have. Adults should be getting at least 7 hours of sleep at night. On the other hand, teens need at least 8-10 hours and infants up to 14 hours of sleep every night.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, there are many things that you can do to help get your body ready for sleep. Staying off your electronics for at least an hour before bed can help limit your exposure to blue light, disrupting your body’s circadian rhythm. Turning off all the lights in your room, using an eye mask to sleep, or exercising daily can improve sleep hygiene.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
This may seem like an obvious tip, but eating whole plant foods such as fruits and vegetables can help immensely. Even foods such as nuts, seeds, and legumes are rich in antioxidants that are necessary to help fight illnesses. Antioxidants found in whole plant foods can help decrease inflammation in your body by fighting off compounds called free radicals, which may be harmful if built up enough. Chronic inflammation has been shown to be linked to things such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
Be sure to exercise
Again, exercise is nothing new, but when looking at the good that it does to your immune system, it’s an absolute must-have on this list. While it’s true that exercising to excess has been known to suppress the immune system, exercising moderately has shown nothing but promise. In fact, it’s been shown in studies that exercise has the ability to boost the efficiency of vaccines if you have a compromised immune system. Regular exercise can be linked to the reduction of inflammation and the regeneration of immune cells.