People far too often take their health for granted thinking that there is always enough time to take good care of their personal health and introduce some healthy lifestyle changes. Then comes the crises like the recent outbreak of COVID-19 that reminds us all just how fragile we are and that the time for making steps in the right direction can never come too soon.
But where exactly we can start this journey of self-improvement? Well, nature did equip our bodies with very strong defenses that, if taken proper care of, can deal with a lot of threats poised to threaten our health. We only need to see what instructions we got in the manual.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the simplest and most efficient ways to improve our bodies’ immune systems.
Try to get enough sleep
We are living in a very hasty world were cutting down the sleeping hours often seems like the only way to come on top of all the pilled-up chores we need to get through. This common practice, however, creates very negative long-term effects since the studies have shown that our immune systems are very closely tied to the time we spend in bed. If we don’t get our seven to eight hours of good sleep each night (in the case of children, you can raise this number to ten) we can severely damage our natural defenses and open the way for conditions like diabetes, obesity, and blood vessel and heart diseases.
Balance out your diet
Proper, healthy nutrition is a very complex topic you can find countless articles written about. Still, we can use this opportunity to cover a couple of basics. First and foremost, try to diversify your nutrition and eat more whole plant foods like veggies, nuts, legumes, and seeds since they are filled with healthy antioxidants capable of fighting free radicals in your body and reducing the chances of inflammation. The second remedy for inflammation can be found in healthy fats and Omega-3 fatty acids we can find in olive oil, salmon, and chia seeds, so feel free to throw these healthy foods into the mix as well.
Throw the harmful toxins out
Building up the natural defenses is not only about ingesting more healthy nutrients. It also requires that we show the harmful substances a way out. So, for a start consider getting yourself a nourishing detox cleanse kit that will help get you rid of most of these harmful substances. Of course, to keep the good results, you will need to consider changing a couple of lifestyle habits. How to do that? Well, you can try drinking more water, reducing the intake of sugar, consuming foods rich in fiber and prebiotics, and stimulating blood flow. Taking an occasional sauna or fasting one day a week can only help this cause.
Get back in shape
To put it simply, exercising is an incredibly effective way to make your immune system function better and produce a quicker response to viruses and other outside threats. However, engaging in too extreme activities can produce exactly opposite results, especially if you are fasting or not getting enough sleep. So, keep the activities frequent, but only moderately taxing (150 to 300 minutes a week), or cut the time for intense aerobic activities to 75 minutes and you will unlock tremendous benefits like better sleep quality, reduced risk of heart disease, stimulate cellular immunity and drastically reduce inflammation.
Do your best to stay hydrated
We can’t stress enough just how important the role water plays in the proper functioning of our bodies. We use this precious liquid to lubricate the joints, regulate body temperature, prevent infections, and, most importantly, deliver nutrients to our cells. Drinking enough water improves our mood, keeps our bodies nourished with no extra calories, improves sleep quality, and simply helps our bodies work at the optimal level of performance. Do your best then to keep your body’s fluid needs satisfied – an average woman should drink about 11 cups of water a day while adult males can easily ramp this number up to 16.
Keep your stress levels under control
We know – it’s much easier said than done. Be that as it may, though, high levels of stress stimulate the production of the hormone called cortisol which suppresses your body’s ability to defend against various invaders by lowering the number of blood lymphocytes. So, try to keep yourself composed and engage in any kind of activity that helps you stay mindful and chill. Engaging in physical activity, doing yoga and tai chi, or practicing meditation are some of the most popular ways of getting there. We also recommend you try researching the stoic philosophy – excellent stuff for dealing with everyday challenges.
So, there you have it – six simple ways to take better care of your health and make sure your body’s natural defenses are strong like a medieval fortress. Of course, these suggestions are only the tip of the iceberg – after all, improving your well-being is a lifelong commitment. But, doing these things will push you in the right direction and change your attitude about personal health. And as long as that’s the case, every step you take will be a step forward.
