As we’re nearing the end of winter, it’s no surprise that you’d want to try and boost your immune system to help you beat that springtime sickness. While it is true that staying up to date on your immunizations can help you in the face of illness, there are some things that you can do homeopathically to help strengthen your body’s defenses in the face of harmful pathogens. Here are some tips to help naturally strengthen your immune system.
Get a good amount of sleep
This may seem like a no-brainer, but sleep is needed to boost your immune system. You may think that you don’t need a good amount of sleep, that you can function on five hours of sleep or fewer, but inadequate sleep is closely linked to a higher risk of getting sick. When you do get sick, you may find that you sleep more. This is due to the act that your immune system is using that to gain strength to fight the illness better.
Children and infants should strive to get fourteen hours of sleep, teens should get around 8-10, and adults should aim for seven or more hours every night. If you’re finding that you’re having trouble falling asleep, try to limit your time spent on your electronics for at least an hour before bed, as the blue light that’s emitted from the screens have been known to disrupt your circadian rhythm.
Aim to eat healthy fats
If you’re looking for a food-related tip, here it is! Healthy fats help your body’s immune system fight harmful pathogens by decreasing inflammation. While inflammation is your body’s normal response to an injury or in times of stress, chronic inflammation has been known to work to suppress your immune system.
For example, olive oil is a great anti-inflammatory linked to a decreased risk of harmful diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil can also help your body fight off harmful bacteria and viruses.
Exercise
While exercising to excess can lead to suppressing your immune system, a more moderate take on exercise can boost it. There have been studies to indicate that moderate exercise can increase the overall effectiveness of vaccines in immunocompromised people. And even better, moderate exercise has been known to reduce inflammation and help immune cells regenerate regularly. Examples of moderate exercise are walking, taking a bike ride, jogging, swimming, and hiking. You’ll only see a positive outcome by aiming for at least 150 minutes of exercise a week.
There are many ways to boost your body’s natural immune system. Whether that’s eating healthy fats, exercising the right amount, or getting the right amount of sleep for your age, you have the power to make it so that you’re as prepared as possible in the face of illness.