Heading into winter fall- it’s important to get a strong immune system. It will act as a bullet-proof jacket that protects you from infection-causing germs, bacteria, flu viruses. Due to a poor and unhealthy junk diet, chronic stress, poor sleeping conditions you can invite a poor defense system. As a result, your body’s weak immune system will fail to fight against cold and flu; you are getting sick.

Did you know how to boost your immune system? Let’s read this article! It will help you to understand how to improve your body’s defense system and keep it charged throughout this season:

1. Maintain Healthy Diet:

To maintain a strong immune system in this winter fall, it is important to provide a healthy, balanced diet to your body. The diet loaded up with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds is perfect for a healthy digestive tract.

Studies have shown that a well-balanced diet not only supplies the required energy to your immune system but also ensures that you can get sufficient micronutrients which is important for boosting your body’s immunity level.

You can find essential nutrients and minerals in our everyday diet, including:

• Vitamin C is especially found in citrus fruits, like winter-special oranges and strawberries, tomatoes, and vegetables like spinach and broccoli.

• Including almonds, sunflower oil, peanut butter, sunflower seeds in your diet, supply a sufficient amount of vitamin E.

• You can also find essential vitamin B6 in chicken, salmon, tuna, bananas, green vegetables, potatoes, etc.

TIPS: Try to avoid highly processed foods, it can raise your body’s blood sugar level and the inflammation can cause a hamper to your immune system and lower the ability to target viruses and bacteria.

2. Exercise regularly:

Regular exercise or working out has lots of health benefits, it not only lowers the production of stress hormones or Cortisol but can suppress the immunity system. Physical activities can help to boost the body’s blood circulation, it makes white blood cells and infection-fighting molecules flow freely throughout your body.

Try to do some easy exercise at home daily, it improves your heart health and reduces the chance of fatty liver disease. It will even make your bones stronger than before.

Gentle exercise not only boosts your immunity level but also promotes mental health.

TIPS: Avoid overdoing exercises. Too many extreme rough and tough physical exercises can harm your body’s defense system and expose you to infection-causing viruses.

3. Wash Your Hands:

To protect yourself from flu, influenza, Covid-19 virus, the best practice is to wash your hands frequently. Viruses and germs can spread by shaking hands or touching doorknobs, elevator buttons, or any other high-traffic surfaces around you.

Try to maintain physical distances in a crowded area and to avoid falling sick, hand washing is the most effective way. Use warm water and soap, scrub it for at least 20 seconds and wash your hand thoroughly.

TIPS: Always remember to wash your hands before and after eating and after visiting the toilet. It will prevent spreading flu germs and viruses.

4. Ensure Good Gut Health:

Doctors believe that a maximum of 70-80% of your body’s immune system is in your gut. So, you need to intake a Mediterranean-style diet, which is rich in unprocessed foods and antioxidants. Start including fiber-rich fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, even healthy fats in your regular diet. This not only reduces inflammation but also increases the production of good gut bacteria. It will help you to build a strong and healthy immune system. You need to opt for fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, kefir to remove excess cholesterol from your liver.

5. Spend More Time in Nature:

During this cold winter season, people are spending more time inside the heated buildings with closer contact with family or friends, which can increase the chances of spreading infection-causing germs and viruses.

To enhance your immune system, plan to go outside in the morning or on lunch break, go get some fresh air and restore your body’s vitamin D content from sunlight.

6. Keep Hydrated:

Drinking plenty of water plays a major role to support a strong immune system. It is important for your body’s circulatory system named lymph, which carries infection-fighting white blood cells throughout your body.

The lymph fluid contains 96% of water, so if you are dehydrated, it can slow down the lymph movement and lead to a much weaker immunity system.

You can lose water during exercising, even through breath, urine, and bowel movement. So, it’s time to intake lots of water to fulfill your body’s water deficiency level and provide better support to your immune system.

7. Get Enough Sleep:

According to a recent study, poor sleep can have negative impacts on your immune system. If you don’t get enough quality sleep, then you can become sick and your body will be exposed to viruses and cold-causing bacteria.

During sleep, your body can release cytokines which play a major part in fighting against infections. It also increases the production of natural killer cells, which lowers the chances of cancer and viral infections.

It is recommended to have at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep on a daily basis. Before bedtime, stop using mobile phones, tablets, or reading books. Try to do something boring until you fall asleep.

8. Get Vaccination:

During winter, cold and flu viruses can easily affect your health. If you are experiencing fever, cough, sniffles or shortness of breath, or feeling weakness then there is a clear indication of flu. Visit your nearby physician and go through their medication.

All need to get vaccinated for flu before the fall. This flu vaccination is recommended for everyone, aged after 6 months.

We are also aware of the Covid-19 virus and its symptoms are quite similar to flu and colds. So, it is recommended to get respective vaccinations and maintain all precautions to reduce the virus infection.

9. Control Stress:

While you are looking for the best way to boost your immune system, you need to understand that stress and anxiety can negatively affect your health.

Chronic stress is long-lasting which can suppress your immunity system. It increases the production of stress-boosting hormones, cortisol, and cytokines that trigger inflammation. As a result, the number of white blood cell production can decrease and your body becomes weak to fight against infection. And it will lead you to cough, cold and body soreness.

If you are stressed or going through any mental issues, then there is a possibility that you are not getting enough sleep. It can hamper your immune system. So, start meditation or yoga or any simple breathing exercise to divert your mind and reduce stress.

10. It’s Time to Avoid Stimulants:

In this shivering cold winter, to build a strong immune system, all you need is to avoid stimulants like processed energy drinks, caffeine, sodas, nicotine. Excessive smoking can depress your immune system and lower the production of antibodies that can protect your body from cold, flu, and Covid-19 viruses.

TIPS: You need to limit daily alcohol consumption, it not only dehydrates your body but also leads to a poor immune system.

So, we’ve listed the 10 best ways to boost your body’s immunity level. Consider maintaining a healthy lifestyle and delicately balanced diet to build a strong and healthy immune system that can fight against varieties of flu, infections, and illness.