6 ways to keep your immune system healthy

6 ways to keep your immune system healthy 

Your body (including your immune system) works on the fuel it gives you. This is why eating well, along with other good behaviors for you, is so important. Simply put, the job of your immune system is to defend your body against disease and illness. The complex system is made up of cells in your skin, blood, bone marrow, tissues, and organs that, when they work as they should, protect your body against potentially harmful pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses) and limit damage from noninfectious agents. (such as sunburn or cancer), according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Think of the immune system as an orchestra. For the best performance, you want every instrument and every musician in the orchestra to perform at their best. You don't necessarily want a musician to play at double speed or an instrument to suddenly produce sound at twice the volume it usually does. You want each component of that orchestra to run exactly according to plan. The same goes for your immune system. To better protect your body from harm, each component of your immune system must function exactly according to plan. The best way to make sure that happens is to practice good behaviors for yourself every day that your immune system works. Here are seven keys.

Related: DOES CYCLING STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?

1. Eat a healthy diet 

The nutrients you get from food, particularly plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, are essential to keep your immune system working properly, according to Yufang Lin, MD, a holistic medicine doctor at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "Many plant-based foods also have antiviral and antimicrobial properties, which help us fight infection," says Dr. Lin. For example, research shows that spices like cloves, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and cumin contain antiviral and antimicrobial properties that prevent the growth of food-spoiling bacteria like Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens, harmful fungi like Aspergillus. flavus and antibiotic resistant microorganisms. like Staphylococcus aureus, according to a review published in June 2017 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.



In addition, the zinc, folate, iron, selenium, copper, and vitamins A, C, E, B6, and B12 that you get from the foods you eat are the nutrients that your immune system needs to do its job, according to the Nutrition Academy. and dietetics. Each plays a unique role in supporting immune function. Research suggests, for example, that vitamin C deficiency may increase the likelihood of infection, according to a review published in November 2017 in Nutrients. Our bodies do not produce this essential water soluble vitamin on their own, so we must obtain it through food (such as citrus, kiwis, and various cruciferous vegetables). You can get 95 milligrams (mg), or the 106 percent of the daily vitamin C you need by eating a half cup of red pepper, according to the NIH.

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Protein is also critical to immune health. The amino acids in proteins help build and maintain immune cells, and skimping on this macronutrient can decrease your body's ability to fight infection. In a study published in the February 2013 Journal of Infectious Diseases, mice that ate a diet consisting of just 2 percent protein were more severely affected by the flu than mice that ate a "normal protein" diet. with 18 percent protein. But once the researchers began feeding the first group a "normal protein" diet, the mice were able to get rid of the virus. When it comes to a diet that supports good immune health, focus on incorporating more plants and plant-based foods. Add fruits and vegetables to soups and stews, smoothies and salads, or eat them as snacks, Lin says. Carrots, broccoli, spinach, red bell peppers, apricots, citrus fruits (such as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines), and strawberries are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, while seeds and nuts will provide protein, vitamin E and zinc, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Additional sources of protein and zinc include shellfish, lean meats, and poultry, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

2. Keep stress under control

According to a review published in the October 2015 issue of Current Opinion in Psychology, long-term stress leads to chronically elevated levels of cortisol, the steroid hormone. The body depends on hormones like cortisol during short-term episodes of stress (when your body goes into a "fight or flight" response); Cortisol has a beneficial effect by preventing the immune system from responding before the stressful event ends (so that your body can react to the immediate stressor). But when cortisol levels are consistently high, it essentially blocks the immune system from kicking in and doing its job of protecting the body from possible threats from germs like viruses and bacteria.

There are many effective techniques to reduce stress; The key is to find what works for you. "I like to give my patients options," says Ben Kaplan, MD, an internal medicine physician at Orlando Health Medical Group Internal Medicine in Florida. He recommends meditation (apps like Headspace and Calm can help), journaling, and any activities you enjoy (like fishing, golfing, or drawing). Try to do at least one stress-reducing activity every day. Short of time? Start small. Set aside five minutes at a time each day for fun and increase when you can.

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3. Get enough good quality sleep

Your body heals and regenerates while you sleep, making adequate sleep critical to a healthy immune response, Lin says.

More specifically, sleep is a time when your body produces and distributes key immune cells like cytokines (a type of protein that can fight or promote inflammation), T cells (a type of white blood cell that regulates the immune response) and interleukin 12 (a pro-inflammatory cytokine), according to a review published in the Pflugers Archiv European Journal of Physiology.

When you don't get enough sleep, your immune system may not do these things as well, making it less capable of defending your body against harmful invaders and increasing the chance of getting sick. A study published in the July and August 2017 issue of Behavioral Sleep Medicine found that, compared to healthy young adults who had no trouble sleeping, healthy young adults with insomnia were more susceptible to flu even after vaccination.

Lack of sleep also raises cortisol levels, which of course is also not good for immune function, Lin says. "As a result, our immune systems are weakened and we tend to have [less] reserves to fight or recover from the disease."

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that all adults get at least seven hours of sleep a night to optimize health. To ensure quality sleep, prioritize good sleep hygiene - turn off electronic devices at least two to three hours before bedtime and avoid violent or stressful books or conversations, Lin says.

4. Exercise regularly (outdoors, when possible)

Regular exercise reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases (such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease), as well as viral and bacterial infections, according to a review in Frontiers in Immunology in April 2018.

Exercise also increases the release of endorphins (a group of hormones that reduce pain and create feelings of pleasure), making it a great way to manage stress. "Since stress negatively affects our immune system, this is another way that exercise can improve the immune response," says Lin.

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And while there is some evidence that very long or intense exercise sessions can suppress the immune system, making it more susceptible to illness and infection in the hours immediately following your workout, the evidence on that question is conflicting, according to the same Frontiers in Immunology. review. And there is a large body of epidemiological evidence (studies that followed human behavior and the results) that show that people who are more active overall tend to have a lower incidence of acute (like infections) and chronic diseases (like cancer and diabetes type 2). Studies looking at how exercise affects the body at the cellular level suggest that periods of physical activity can make your immune system more vigilant by spreading immune cells throughout the body to look for damaged or infected cells, according to that report by 201

At a minimum, try to follow the physical activity guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Adults should perform at least 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate intensity aerobic exercise (such as walking, jogging, or biking) or 75 minutes (one hour and 15 minutes) of high intensity aerobic exercise (such as running). weekly. You should also do strength training at least twice a week. Note: More activity has been found to be linked to even more health benefits, so aim high.
For even more benefits for the immune system, Dr. Kaplan recommends exercising outdoors. According to Lin, spending time in nature has been shown to boost mood, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and support immune system health.
Sunlight also increases vitamin D in the body, which also plays a key role in immune health.

5. When it comes to alcohol, practice moderation

Drinking large amounts of alcohol is associated with a variety of negative health effects, including decreased immune function. When you drink large amounts of alcohol, your body is too busy trying to detoxify your system to bother with the normal function of the immune system, Kaplan explains.

According to a review published in the journal Alcohol Research in 2015, high levels of alcohol consumption can weaken your body's ability to fight infection and slow your recovery time. As a result, people who drink large amounts of alcohol face an increased chance of pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, alcoholic liver disease, and certain types of cancer, according to the same review.

If you don't drink yet, don't start. If you drink occasionally, limit your alcohol intake to one drink (equivalent to a 4-ounce glass of wine) per day if you are a woman, and two drinks per day if you are a man, as recommended by the NIH.

Related: ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE THROUGH GOOD NUTRITION AND EXERCISE.

6. Don't smoke cigarettes

Like alcohol, smoking can also affect immune health. "Anything that is a toxin can compromise your immune system," says Kaplan.

In particular, the chemicals released by cigarette smoke (carbon monoxide, nicotine, oxides of nitrogen, and cadmium) can interfere with the growth and function of immune cells, such as cytokines, T cells, and B cells, according to a November 2016 review on Oncotarget.

Smoking also worsens viral and bacterial infections (especially lung infections such as pneumonia, influenza, and tuberculosis), postsurgical infections, and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints), according to CDC.

"Don't smoke," says Lin. And avoid secondhand smoke whenever possible.
If you currently smoke, there are many resources available to help you quit, including counseling, nicotine replacement products, prescription drugs that do not contain nicotine, and behavioral therapy, according to the CDC.