Your body’s immune system works hard to defend your body against bacteria and viruses that increase your risk of illnesses. But the defense wall weakens as you age, so it is crucial for you to take precautionary measures to strengthen your immune system. This way, the chance of developing illnesses and diseases will be minimized.
Give your immune system some quality care so it can function well. Choose to restore your health. Also, make sure to cleanse your body of any toxins that might weaken your cells.
Here are some lifestyle tips to help boost your immune system.
1. Always Wash Your Hands
Never neglect to wash your hands as often as possible. Remember that this is one of the crucial steps to protecting your immune system from viruses and bacteria. Clean and dry your hands as often as possible in a day, especially during and after handling food and using the restroom. Wash for at least 20 seconds. If you do not have soap and water, use alcohol-based sanitizers.
It is also important to regularly replace damp towels with dry ones because this is one of the places where bacteria tend to proliferate.
2. Eat a Balanced Diet
Fuel your body with the essential nutrients it needs to build and sustain a healthy, strong immune system. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains and nuts. These are healthy foods that are full of probiotics, antioxidants, and disease-fighting properties, helping your body to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Limit your intake of sugar, salt and fat as these can weaken your immune system. Too much sugar and salt in your body will increase your risk of developing heart diseases. Ask your doctor about the recommended daily allowances for salt, sugar, and fats. Also, speak with your physician regarding taking any additional supplements like Bio-Q.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
Your immune reserves drain overnight. When you are sick, hydration becomes more essential. Fluids transport necessary nutrients throughout your body, in addition to removing toxins for disposal. Although water is the best choice for hydrating your body, other great alternatives are herbal tea and milk.
But you should also avoid drinking too much water. An excessive amount of water in your body can dilute and wash out the essential electrolytes and minerals your body needs. To determine if you are drinking enough water, pay attention to your urine; if it’s straw-colored, the answer is yes.
4. Get Active
Exercising regularly can boost your immune system. So consider allotting at least 30 minutes each day for physical activities.
Exercise will get white blood cells and antibodies moving throughout your body faster, so they can detect illnesses faster as well. Also, an increase in circulation can trigger the release of hormones that will warn the immune cells of the intruding pathogens.
However, you should keep your workouts moderate. If you often engage in intensive activities, you may decrease the number of white blood cells circulating in your body, and this can increase your risk of illnesses.
5. Have a Regular Sleep Schedule
Getting a good night’s sleep is important so you’ll feel fresh and well-rested. Also, this plays a crucial role in keeping your immune system strong and healthy. People who are deprived of sleep are more likely to catch a cold than those who slept at least eight hours every night. So you need to consider your current sleeping schedule. Determine if you are getting enough rest each night. If not, start having a good night’s sleep now so you will always wake up feeling well-rested each morning.
6. Minimize Your Stress Levels
Stress is inevitable. However, there are ways to reduce your stress levels. These include playing with your pet, listening to music, watching your favorite movie, and doing yoga. Remember that stressors can alter how well your immune system functions. So as much as possible, learn how to manage stress.
7. Get Vaccinated
Vaccines might become slightly less effective as you age; however, this does not mean that you should not get them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting annual flu shots, two pneumococcal vaccines, the Zoster vaccine, and a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis or Tdap vaccine. Be reminded though that not everyone can get these shots, so talk to your doctor to make sure that you are getting the right vaccines.
As you age, your immune system will need a little help. You might get sick more often. But if you know the key steps to protect and boost your immune system, your chances of remaining healthy as you get older will be improved. So make healthy choices every day by starting with these seven steps.
