How to Boost Immunity Naturally

1. Getting good sleep – Both sleep and immunity are interrelated. Inadequate or insufficient sleep can lead to a high chance of getting sick. People who sleep less than 6 hours a night are more susceptible to cold than those who sleep more than 6 hours. So, if you get an adequate amount of sleep, it can naturally strengthen your immunity. An adult should aim for 7 or more hours of sleep, teens need 8-10 hours, and infants or younger children need up to 12-14 hours of sleep. If you cannot sleep, you should reduce your screen time, sleep in a dark room, and keep the timing of going to bed the same.

2. Have whole plant food in your diet – Whole plant foods like vegetables, seeds, fruits, nuts, and legumes are a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants that help to fight harmful pathogens. In addition, the fibre in plant food feeds the gut microbiome, or in easy language, the healthy bacteria community of your gut. A strong gut microbiome can help improve immunity and prevent harmful pathogens from entering the body.

3. Consume more healthy fats – Healthy fats are the fats found in olive oil, and salmon decreases inflammation and that in turn may boost the body’s immune response to pathogens. Olive oil is highly inflammatory and reduces chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It may also help your body fight harmful disease-causing viruses and bacteria.

4. Increase the intake of fermented foods – Fermented foods are rich in probiotics (beneficial bacteria), which populate the digestive tract. Examples of fermented foods are yogurt, natto, kimchi and kefir.

5. Limit Intake of added sugar – Research suggests that added sugar may contribute to obesity and overweight, and obesity may increase the risk of getting sick. Cutting sugar from the diet can decrease inflammation and contribute to weight loss, reducing chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The relation of calorie and sugar should be about 25 gm of sugar for someone with a 2000 calorie diet.

6. Moderate Exercise – A little exercise in your daily routine can give a boost to your immune system. Studies say that one session of moderate exercise can increase the effectiveness of vaccines in people with compromised immune systems. It can also reduce inflammation and can help in regenerating immune cells more regularly. Some examples of moderate exercise are jogging, steady cycling, swimming, light hiking, and brisk walking. The aim should be at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.

7. Drinking water regularly – Staying hydrated will not protect you from viruses and germs but is important to prevent dehydration. Dehydration can hamper your physical performance, mood, digestion, and kidney and heart functions, and these implications can lead you to be ill. To prevent it, you should drink an apt amount of fluids daily. Water is highly recommended as it is free from additives, calories, and sugar. A general guideline says you should drink when you are thirsty and stop when you are not thirsty anymore.

8. Managing stress level – Stress that continues for a long time can contribute to inflammation, and the immune cell function also gets imbalanced. Saying in a more particular way prolonged psychological stress can weaken the immune response in children. Some activities that can help manage stress are meditation, journaling, yoga, exercise etc.

9. Include protein in your meal – Proteins are like building blocks in your immune system, which includes your detoxification and immune system. Add a little of protein, either animal-based or plant-based, to your meals.

10. Have a positive attitude – A positive mindset is also very vital for a healthy life. Research shows that the people who keep a positive attitude towards life lead to a healthy lifestyle compared with those who do not. And as this pandemic is going on, you can just think that you are home, and you are safe other than thinking that in future, everything will be okay.

  So by following the aforesaid points you can build a better immune system and lead a      healthy life.