The best ways to improve immunity

The human immune system is a barrier that protects us against viruses and bacteria that want to settle in our body. Every day, millions of microorganisms enter the body and are caught by this complicated mechanism. Unfortunately, it is not effective at 100% and once every once in a while, it is infected. For this reason, it is worth taking care of your immunity - it will lead to fewer diseases, or to overcome the disease before the bacteria multiply for good.

In this article, I will present the most important ways to improve your immune system.

Take care of a proper diet

Health always begins with a proper diet. To maintain the proper functioning of the immune system, never forget about a proper diet. There is even a saying - if you do not spend money on healthy eating, then you will have to spend it on treatment ! 

What constitutes a proper diet? 

First of all, a large amount of vegetables and not too sweet fruits, seeds of fatty plants, and proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the right proportion. There is no place in it for processed products, sweeteners and carbonated drinks - they worsen the functioning of the immune system and reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C. Also, avoid the use of strict diets and "cleansing treatments" because they weaken the functioning of the immune system and give no benefit.

Increase the amount of vitamins in your diet

If you are losing weight or using little-varied water, then it may be necessary to use dietary supplements to supplement the deficiency of vitamins and minerals. Rather, I advise against the use of multivitamin preparations from the so-called premix, because it is often said about the poor absorbability of this form. In herbalists, you will find a slightly more expensive natural vitamins. 

The most important vitamin that should be supplemented in the case of immunity problems is vitamin C. Its deficiency often gives flu-like symptoms. Vitamin C supports the functioning of the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells. Let's not forget that vitamin C is involved in thousands of processes in the body.

Vitamin E also affects the immune system.
Zinc supports the work of white blood cells and contributes to the more efficient secretion of antibodies.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is also a prerequisite for staying healthy. Thanks to them, you can improve the functioning of the immune system and general well-being. Exercise (especially cardio) improves the health of the heart and blood vessels.
As a result, the amount of oxygen and nutrients supplied to each cell can be increased. If white blood cells can enter each of the body's cells without any problems, they work more effectively. Regular exercise reduces the amount of stress hormones responsible for worsening the immune system.

Get enough sleep

Sleep deprivation also has a detrimental effect on the immune system. If you don't get enough sleep, you're much more likely to catch a cold. During sleep, immune cells produce proteins called cytokinins that affect other cells and support the immune response. The amount of sleep each of us needs is different. In general, it is recommended to sleep at least 8 - 9 hours a day.

Reduce stress and relax

Stress stimulates the adrenal glands and leads to increased secretion of cortisol. Cortisol worsens the action of cytokinins and reduces the secretion of antibodies. We are all exposed to stress from time to time, but if we are stressed all the time it has a devastating effect on us.
There are many techniques to reduce the stress that accompanies us - one of the more interesting ways is yoga. Thanks to it, we stretch the muscles and reduce tension. You may also find it useful to meditate, or simply disconnect yourself from technology. People under stress should work on their assertiveness - if your schedule is full, don't take on more tasks.

Take care of hygiene

The human immune system has to deal with millions of bacteria and viruses. A small amount is necessary to strengthen immunity (this is how vaccines, for example, work), but if there are too many of them, it can cause disease. The basic habit to reduce the likelihood of getting sick is washing your hands. 

Wash your hands after leaving the toilet and before eating. The greatest amount of bacteria accumulates on the door handles and handrails, so you should wash your hands after leaving public transport. If you are not convinced by the argument that you can catch flu by touch, I will give you a more drastic example. In frequently touched places, there are also parasite eggs invisible to the human eye.

Take probiotics

I have presented a few ways to get rid of bad bacteria, now it's worth mentioning the healthy ones. Your digestive system contains a huge amount of beneficial bacteria - there are more of them than your body's cells. They support immunity as they destroy harmful bacteria that enter the body with food and prevent yeast fungus from growing. 

The beneficial bacteria also stimulate the intestines to secrete antibodies. If your bacterial flora is in bad condition or you take antibiotics, this mechanism is not working properly. Pathogenic bacteria take the place of beneficial bacteria. This can be easily seen if you are taking your antibiotics without probiotics. This quickly results in the appearance of diarrhea. In order to strengthen the amount of beneficial bacteria in the intestines , take probiotics. 

Probiotics can be used in two forms - both by eating yoghurt (which naturally contain a large amount of beneficial bacteria) and by using capsules with selected strains of bacteria. You can also find healthy bacteria in foods such as sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and olives.

Drink less alcohol

Alcohol adversely affects your immune system because it worsens your body's ability to absorb these substances that are essential for the proper functioning of your immune system.

Stop smoking

Smoking affects the entire body, especially the immune system. Cigarette toxins worsen the response of white blood cells to viruses and bacteria, and they also cause lung infections. For this reason, smokers are much more likely to get sinus infection and flu.

If you stop smoking it will have a beneficial effect on the immune system and all other systems in the body.

I don't expect readers to stop smoking after reading this article, but if you get sick and smoke a lot, stop smoking is the first step to health. Other measures will not help you as long as you have cigarette toxins in your body. The immune system is one of the most complex systems in the body and its proper functioning depends on many factors. To work properly, it requires a lot of balance and harmony. 

Researchers are still not entirely sure how some reactions in the immune system work, and are constantly looking for a better explanation of these issues.
A fundamental method to improve immunity is to consistently make healthy choices about diet and lifestyle.