Dealing with Covid-19 the past couple years has reminded us that our health is something that we can no longer take for granted. Many of us have come to realize that in order to be healthy a well-functioning immune system is essential.
Here are four ways you can enhance your immune system and avoid many of the illnesses that may threaten your health:
Eat Right
The old adage, “you are what you eat,” has a lot of truth to it. Our bodies are made up of what we put into them. Computer science expresses it this way, “garbage in, garbage out.” The Standard American Diet (SAD) is full of refined, high fat, sugary garbage that will certainly impact your immune system in a negative way. This type of diet disrupts your gut’s microbiome, where 80% of your immune system is located. Nutrient dense foods — complex carbohydrates, low in fat, rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants — help to support healthy gut microbiome and immune system.
Exercise Regularly
Our bodies were created for movement. Regular exercise strengthens our heart, muscles, and bones. It also helps increase blood flow, flush bacteria out of the lungs, stimulate cellular immunity, lower inflammation, fight off infection, and reduce stress hormones. Exercise reduces the risk of many diseases and infections.
Manage Stress
Chronic stress causes our bodies to produce excess stress hormones, such as cortisol, which weaken our immune system. When we are in in this state we open ourself up to a greater risk of disease and infection. While acute stress — “fight or flight” — can be a lifesaver, chronic stress — day-in and day-out stress — can be deadly. Properly managing stress is essential to a strong immune system and greater wellness. You may consider strategies for handling stress such as regular exercise, adequate rest, prayer, and having supportive relationships.
Get Adequate Sleep
Studies have shown that people who get insufficient nightly sleep are at a higher risk of infections and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart problems. Getting adequate, quality sleep provides essential support to the immune system and enables it to render a well-balanced immune response. It is recommended for adults to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Having a regularly scheduled time for bed and rising, even on weekends, is helpful. Also, try to put away those electrical gadgets at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light that is emitted by those devices interferes with your body’s natural sleep cycle.
These four strategies for a more enhanced immune system may seem overly simple. However, the question is, “how faithfully are you carrying them out in your lifestyle?” It has been found that many people know better than they do. It follows, then, that the saying, “knowledge is power,” is false. Rather, knowledge is potential power. It is only when knowledge is acted upon that it can become powerful in your life. Are you willing to put these four simple yet powerful principles into practice? The result may very well be a strong immune system and greater wellbeing.
Photo by: Julia Larson