Prevent getting sick and read these tips to strengthen the immune system. The tips are mainly focused on nutrition, since the immune system gets all the important substances from food. Discover all the tips to strengthen the immune system here.
The immune system or immune system is aimed at clearing invaders from outside, but also foreign cells. You can think of fungi, a virus such as the Coronavirus, bacteria and, for example, parasites. This cleaning up ensures, among other things, that we are protected against diseases, such as cancer.
The immune system is located throughout our body. For example in the skin, the intestines, lymph nodes and the blood. When the immune system is weakened, the body is less protected against invaders and we get sick. By adjusting our diet and lifestyle we can keep our immune system healthy and even strengthen it.
The immune system removes important substances such as vitamins and minerals from our food. However, the use of alcohol and excessive caffeine consumption have a negative impact on the immune system. This also applies to an unhealthy lifestyle that involves a lot of smoking. Inhaling polluted air and heavy metals (mercury, lead and cadmium) in the diet also affect the immune system. Nutrition is combined with sufficient sleep key to improve the immune system.
Nutrition is number 1 to strengthen the immune system. The tips below are all about nutrition, with which the immune system can be strengthened.
1. General nutrition Our diet should be rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant protective chemicals (so-called bioflavonoids). This is necessary to strengthen the body's natural defenses. Free radicals are neutralized by antioxidants.
2. Meat, fish and dairy Our bodies also need sufficient meat, fish and dairy products. Think of poultry and lean meat, which contain the necessary minerals. Legumes such as peas, beans and lentils also contain important minerals. Cheese, eggs and liver provide vitamin A, while spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes contain beta carotene.
3. Vitamin B12 A deficiency of vitamin B12 has major consequences for your immune system. By eating meat, eggs and fish you can prevent a deficiency of vitamin B12. And prevention is better than cure. If in doubt, have your vitamin B12 tested. There are quite a lot of people walking around with a vitamin B12 deficiency and the complaints can be quite serious. In some cases you even have to get injections to get your vitamin B12 level up to standard. It has since become apparent that the lower limit used by most general practitioners is far below the acceptable level. It is therefore good to look at the figures yourself and, if necessary, to take steps to make up for a shortage.
4. Vitamin C Vitamin C is a must for your immune system. Most vitamin C can be found in fruit, but also in vegetables. Make sure you get a daily amount of 200 mg of vitamin C. Only then is your body put to work to produce immunoglobin. These blood proteins serve as extra antibodies against diseases.
5. Vitamin D Like vitamins B and C, vitamin D is also important to strengthen the immune system. You get vitamin D through the sun and through your diet. Unfortunately, the sun in the Netherlands is scarce. Many people therefore struggle with a (serious) deficiency of vitamin D in the autumn and winter. And that while vitamin D turns out to be crucial when it comes to fighting off a virus. Therefore, if in doubt, always have your vitamin D checked and, if necessary, supplement with vitamin D. My daughter and I had a serious vitamin D deficiency this winter and really had to take high doses of vitamin D. A food with vitamin D includes fatty fish, although the body does not absorb a lot of vitamin D from food.
6. Vitamin E
I close this list of important vitamins with vitamin E. Vitamin E can be found in nuts, olive oil, avocados and whole grains.
7. Zinc
Do not forget the intake of sufficient zinc. A zinc deficiency affects the immune system and makes you sick. You can find the mineral zinc in pumpkin seeds, oysters and lean beef.
Another small warning:certain vitamins should only be taken in limited amounts. Vitamins can also interact with each other. For example, an excess of zinc is linked to anemia and a reduced resistance. It is therefore certainly not advisable to just take vitamins, even if manufacturers make us believe that.
Above I gave examples of foods that are absolutely good for you if you want to improve your immune system. However, there are also many things that you should rather avoid. Think of:
Reading tip:5 Signs that you are eating too much sugar
Not only food plays a major role in increasing our resistance. This also applies to sleep, especially sufficient and quality sleep. Now you don't necessarily have to sleep for 8 hours, some people need 6 or 7 hours of sleep. The need for sleep changes as you get older. Nevertheless, it is very important to give your body the chance to refuel.
In an optimal situation this means going to bed on time and getting up early. Make sure that you actually fall asleep quickly and wake up rested. If you spend 8 hours in bed, but only actually sleep 5 hours, your body is not sufficiently rested. And that is exactly what is needed. Not only because of all the impressions you gain during the day, but the body needs the night to recover. Do you want to increase your resistance to be less susceptible to a virus, such as Corona? Then you would do well to get enough sleep.
Who doesn't know it? In times of stress, you are much more susceptible to illness. Someone close to you has a cold and gosh, you've got it too. Therefore, increase your resistance by limiting stress as much as possible. Take enough time to relax, go into nature to relax and make sure you live and not just run from hot to her. All obligations are nice, but if it only causes stress, then you gain nothing. On the contrary, your immune system will not appreciate this and you will notice that by the fact that you have caught the first virus.
You don't have to subscribe to the gym. However, it is very important for your resistance that you keep moving. Choose walking, half an hour every day, cycling, running or, for example, a team sport. Sports such as swimming are good for your entire body. An additional advantage is that you also lose weight or reach a nice weight. If you do not exercise or move too little, your body stores too much fat. This is not good for your health and your immune system. Do you want optimal resistance? Then make sure you get enough exercise in whatever form.
One last tip:if you do get sick despite everything, use natural antibiotics. Do you have any tips yourself to strengthen the immune system?
