EASY WAYS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY

If asked at the beginning of 2020 what you’d be doing in March, would you have said quarantining yourself to stay safe from a global pandemic? Probably not, but regardless, here we are. It’s easy to let the updates of what’s happening in Italy or China or even your hometown get to your head and fuel the sadness or anger everyone is experiencing; however, instead of sitting at home and click “continue watching” on Netflix again, there are things you can do to help boost your immunity. By including these tips into your daily routine you can take comfort in knowing you’re doing something to help prevent the spread of disease.

First off, exercise. As we all know, exercise is a major way to keep your body healthy and has many positive psychological effects as well. Working out daily for even just 20 to 30 minutes will significantly help boost your immunity. When you exercise, white blood cells – the disease fighting immune system cells in your body – move more rapidly, increasing their chances of finding pathogens (bacteria or virus’) and fighting them off faster. They basically get a boost of energy as you sweat and move faster around your body. On top of this, the rise in your body temperature also helps in preventing bacteria from growing; therefore, it prevents infections and illnesses. Exercise also helps get bacteria out of your airways due to the heavier breathing experienced, which reduces the chances of getting sick.

Another great way to boost your immunity is through nutrition. Protein is one of the foundational building blocks of the immune system as the amino acids found in proteins help to heal and recover the body. Foods such as seafood, eggs, beans, poultry, lean meat, nuts and seeds are protein rich, so try and incorporate a variety of them into your meals. Zinc – found in poultry, lean meat, beans, seeds, and milk – also boosts the healing process of cells and helps the immune system run more efficiently. Foods rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin D will regulate the immune system while stimulating the formation of antibodies. These vitamins are easily found in fruits and vegetables, so don’t forget to pick those up at the store along with that toilet paper! Keep in mind, one of these foods won’t make a huge impact on its own, so be sure to eat a variety of these foods for the best results.

Along with adding good foods to your diet, subtracting bad habits will boost immunity as well. Excessive amounts of sugar will decrease the immune’s system efficiency, especially through reducing the performance of white blood cells. While, yes, a little sugary treat every now and then is totally fine, don’t over do it. Try and keep sugar in moderation to ensure a more productive immune system.

Finally, remember that Vitamin D is your new best friend. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in boosting the immune system through helping stimulate and activate white blood cells.  This leads to stronger responses when fighting illnesses. To get the “sunshine vitamin,” go outside! Play with your dog, take a walk or dance outside, it’s simple. Vitamin D is also abundant in fatty fish and eggs. 

While the world is in a state of unknown right now, there are things we can do to protect ourselves and make this pandemic a little less daunting. To protect yourself and boost your immunity…

• Exercise! 
• Add Protein, Zinc, Vitamin D and Vitamin C into your diet
• Restrict your sugar intake
• Get some Vitamin D

Your body will thank you when you try all these tips and the rest of society will too. During these times, it’s incredibly important to do whatever you can to help the global community and boosting your immune system will help to stop the spread of viruses and diseases!