The immune system is an integral part of our overall health; its purpose is to guard us against dangerous free radicals, bacteria and viruses. Without a healthy and functional immune system, both our physical and mental health is in serious jeopardy. Most of us know that in order to keep the immune system up and running, we need to take care of our bodies; we do this by eating right, exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. These two things are essential in maintaining the immune system, but going above and beyond and doing all you can to strengthen the immune system requires a little more.
Because the immune system is directly affected by everything that you do in your daily life, simply eating and exercising is only doing the bare minimum. Properly equipping yourself with the right tools and a few tricks, you can fortify your immune system so that when it is called into action it is more than up to the task at hand. Here are just a few small things that you can do in your everyday life that build the immune system.
Sleep
Getting adequate sleep isn’t just important so that you can function the next day, it’s also important because it helps to build up the rest of the body as well as the mind in the process. During the hours that you’re at rest and you’re sleeping, the body is slowly rejuvenating and gaining strength and energy to help you stay healthy and active while awake. Deep sleep has the ability to reenergize the immune system; physicians typically recommend anywhere from six to eight hours of quality sleep each night, as this is the usual amount of time for rapid eye movement or REM sleep to occur.
Cut Back
The casual drink here and there may not seem like it’s damaging your health severely, but the truth is that’s not quite the case. In fact, studies have shown that consuming alcohol even once or twice a week on a consistent basis can lead to immunodeficiency, which means that the body is far more likely to contract a virus as the immune system doesn’t properly function as it should. Physicians recommend no more than two drinks a day for adult men and women, as any alcohol usage above that leaves the body susceptible to a suppressed immune response.
Get Some Sun
Due to the fact that sunlight actually kicks the skin’s natural production of vitamin D into high gear, getting outside and soaking in the sun is one of the easiest and most effective ways of giving your immune system a jolt. Vitamin D deficiencies are in direct correlation to an increased risk of respiratory infection or disease; so just 15 minutes of sunlight on the skin can do the trick at helping you fend off unwanted invaders into the body.
Garlic
Classed as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, garlic is a natural immune booster. Sprinkling a little on your favorite meals is an easy way to eat healthy, spice up your foods and gain an increase in the strength of your immune system. The flavonoids and selenium within the garlic help to increase the number of T-cells in the body; these cells are what help to fight off viruses in the bloodstream that typically bring about the cold and flu.
