The harmattan weather has well and truly arrived, and now is the time when many of us start to struggle with colds and coughs. So what steps can you take to boost your immune system?
Here’s our top five...
1) Healthy eating
We’re constantly reminded of the importance of diet in relation to weight control, but it’s also very important to the immune system.
It can be tempting to gorge on junk food during the cold winter months, but try instead to focus on getting your five a day of fruit and vegetables, and eating plenty of fibre and lean protein. This provides your body with the right nutrients to combat any illnesses and viruses.
2) Exercising
Making sure you are active on a regular basis is believed to help kick-start your immune system, so try to make time for a spot of exercise; 30 minutes per day is recommended.
Studies show that those who are more active are less likely to suffer from common colds.
Exercising helps to stimulate the production of immune cells in the body, and may also help by encouraging the lungs to expel bacteria out through heavier breathing. Exercise is also a fantastic way to reduce stress, which can be an underlying factor in many illnesses.
3) De-stressing
As previously mentioned, stress can play a large role in wrecking your immune function, so try to ensure that you take time to chill out.
Aside from exercise, you could try having a relaxing bath, listening to some music, or reading a book. In addition, it can be very beneficial to surround yourself with good company and enjoy yourself. In fact, some studies have suggested that laughter can help to boost your immune system.
If you’re feeling under the weather, remember to relax!
4) Plenty of sleeping
Good news; you now have an excuse for grabbing an extra hour or two of sleep! Studies have shown that people who get between 7-9 hours per night are less likely to suffer from illnesses and viruses.
The exact reasoning for the link between sleep and immunity is not entirely clear, but there is certainly evidence to suggest that it can help to improve and maintain your body’s natural defences against illness.
Make sure you get the recommended hours each night, and try to settle into a regular sleep schedule so that your body knows when to shut itself off for the day.
And speaking of routines, you might want to try...
5) Supplementing
Adding immunity booster supplements to your daily regime could be a good way to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs to fight illness. Many diets lack certain vitamins and minerals, and so this is an easy way to top up your levels.
A multivitamin that contains vitamin C, zinc, and B vitamins is useful, because these nutrients are proven to boost the function of the immune system.
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