The immune system is our body's defense mechanism against the bugs and germs that cause us to become ill. There are a variety of ways to heighten immunity, and using a combination of these ideas will produce an even greater boost to the immune system than using any one singly.
Sleep
In today's overscheduled, 24/7 society, a good night's sleep is often hard to come by. Consistently getting a minimum of eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night will help your body maintain a healthy baseline of restfulness. Getting less sleep than your body requires to function well on a regular basis leads to exhaustion, which then makes the body vulnerable to colds and other passing viruses and bacteria. A well-rested person has a better functioning immune system than someone running on coffee and energy drinks to make it through the day.
Quality Foods
Today's fast-paced society has also provided us with many fast and easy foods that are filling and tasty but don't provide much in the way of actual nutrition. Eating a diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables gives the body the vitamins and nutrients necessary to maintain a strong immune system. Lean meats prepared in a healthy way provide protein and iron without all of the extra fats. Choosing to eat organic produce and free-range meats is an even healthier option to give your immunity an extra boost.
Hydration
Your body is largely composed of water and needs a continuing supply to stay hydrated. Sodas and juices are high in sugar which contributes to dehydration and depletes the body's store of minerals. Sugar also directly compromises the immune system by weakening the ability of white blood cells to fight off bacteria for up to five hours after consumption. Caffeine and alcohol contribute to dehydration by acting as diuretics. This means that they increase the rate of urination, causing fluids to leave the body at a quicker pace. The key to staying hydrated is to consume an adequate amount of water throughout the day and cut out sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages whenever possible.
Multivitamins
Taking a daily multivitamin is a quick and easy way to give your immune system a little boost. Multivitamins contain a daily dosage of nearly every vitamin and mineral the body relies on to function healthfully. Taking one daily pill is much easier than trying to make sure you have enough vitamin B, folic acid, zinc, and everything in between incorporated into your daily diet.
Flu Shots
Flu shots are a great way to act preventively and avoid an illness altogether. Getting a flu shot is particularly recommended for children, the elderly and others who are easily susceptible to contagious illnesses. It is important to understand that getting a flu shot only vaccinates you against a specific strain of the flu and will not provide immunity for other strains of the virus.
Exposure to Germs
One of the least considered ways to boost immunity is to return to the old ways of letting your immune system experience foreign bodies and learn fight them off. We live in a day and age when hand sanitizers and disinfectant sprays have become part of our daily vocabularies and vaccinations exist for illnesses that are minor and short-lived in healthy individuals. For people who do not have seriously compromised immune systems, there is no great danger in exposing yourself to the average germ. Some still consider the best way to avoid the chicken pox as being to get it once and be done with it. The immune system needs some exposure to the world around us to learn what it needs to learn to function properly.
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