Do you tend to get sick often? Do you have tummy troubles or slow-healing wounds? Perhaps you are lacking in energy and feel stressed and tired more than usual?
It could be that your immune system isn’t getting enough attention. The immune system is your body’s natural way of fighting against invaders in your body’s cells, tissue and organs. It stops bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites from entering our body, causing us harm. While your body can’t control every invasion, it’s essential that you keep your immune system functioning efficiently so it can at least try to fight them off.
If you want to boost your immune system, start with healthy eating! This is essential. According to research by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, if you aren’t getting enough nutrition in your diet, it can suppress immune functions that are fundamental to protecting people against that bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.
Eating Right For Immunity
If you want to give your immune system a boost, you need to incorporate plenty of good vitamins and nutrients. This includes vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, protein, zinc and selenium — all of which can be found in your natural plant and animal-based foods.
Eat more healthy fats, such as those found in salmon and olive oil as these can decrease inflammation and boost your body’s immune response to pathogens. You also want to eat foods that have folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and B12, and riboflavin. It’s the antioxidants in your food that help to balance your immune system, protecting them and ensuring they function correctly.
Avoid processed foods, refined sugars and try to increase your fruit and vegetable intake; and try to have a diet that has a healthy combination of both probiotic foods and prebiotic foods. Probiotic food contains live, helpful bacteria, and includes yoghurt with live active cultures, fermented vegetables, miso, kombucha tea and kefir. Prebiotic foods have plenty of fibre and they also have oligosaccharides which maintain that healthy bacteria — including garlic, onions, asparagus, bananas and seaweed.
Stay Fresh, Feel Healthy
Choosing healthy meal options is imperative if you want to keep your immune system up and running. You want to make sure you have plenty of colour in your food and stick to fresh, natural foods as much as possible. Unfortunately, it isn’t always so easy and finding the time to shop and eat healthy isn’t always achievable.
A delivery service that offers meal plans, such as those from Chefgood, is a great option, using fresh, locally sourced, natural ingredients. It’s also void of all the things that can impact your immune system, such as hidden sugars, additives, fillers and preservatives.
Not only does a delivery service provide fresh, well balanced healthy meals help you to keep your immune system in order, it also helps you save time and stops you from wasting so much food. Meals are prepared with good portion control, and there’s something different on the menu every week. Most importantly, though, you can guarantee there are plenty of delicious nutrients that are going to help your body fight off any nasty bugs!
Other Immune System Boosters
Aside from healthy eating, there are other ways you can boost your immune system, including:
Regular Exercise: Exercise is excellent for the immune system, promoting good circulation and allowing the white blood cells and other aspects of your immune system to move around the body freely. You don’t need to take up running, but moderate exercise, such as a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day, can make a huge difference.
Quit Smoking: By quitting smoking, you will have increased circulation, improved oxygen levels and less inflammation, all of which will give your immune system a boost.
Get Enough Sleep: If you’re not sleeping well at night, it not only leaves you feeling sluggish during the day, it can also leave you vulnerable to colds, flu and other infections. Sleep is the body’s time to heal itself, so if you aren’t sleeping well, that healing is impaired.
Drink Lots Of Water: If you’re dehydrated, you can get headaches which hinders your focus, mood and digestion. Limit the amount of tea and juice you drink, and stick with water. Drink when you’re thirsty, and drink more often if you work outside or live in a hot climate.
Manage Your Stress: If you’re constantly feeling stressed, you’re leaving your body more open to colds, flu and other diseases. This is because you have an influx of the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, which make your immune system weaker.
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