5 WAYS TO BOOST IMMUNITY
Sep 28, 23 | News | 0 Comments
In our busy world, it's important to prioritise our health because our time and energy are always in demand. As autumn approaches and summer ends, it's crucial to keep your body healthy. This way, when diseases and illnesses come, your immune system can effectively fight them off.
In this blog, we'll discuss the steps you can take to give yourself a robust immune system. To boost immunity, we will focus on five things. These include drinking enough water, eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and managing stress well.
What is the immune system?
The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from infections and diseases. It is the body's defence mechanism against harmful foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses, that can cause illness.
When you were young, you may have gotten sick multiple times. As you get older, your body gets better at fighting off germs because it has been exposed to them more. By the time you reach adulthood, your immune system should function fully and effectively combat a variety of infections, including those you have been immunised against.
However, sometimes our immune systems need an extra boost to keep performing at peak performance. Factors such as stress, dehydration and poor diet can affect the effectiveness of the immune system to work properly. Thankfully, there are ways to help the immune system, and we will be discussing these throughout the blog.
1. Stay Hydrated
The human body is made up of nearly 70% water, so it’s unsurprising that to stay healthy, you need to be well-hydrated. You must drink enough water for your body to work well and remove harmful substances that can make you sick.
Water plays many important roles in your body, including supporting your immune system. Drinking water and staying hydrated can help your body naturally eliminate the bacteria and toxins that cause infection. It’s important to keep drinking water even if you are not exercising or sweating, because you’re constantly losing water whenever you exhale, as well as through urine or bowel movements.
Being hydrated varies depending on several factors like health conditions, gender, medications, physical activity and age. As a general rule, you should be drinking between 6-8 cups of water a day. You can tell if you’re hydrated enough throughout the day if your urine is pale yellow, like straw or champagne. If it is any darker, you may need to start drinking more fluids.
Your body needs more water:
- When you are more physically active
- When you are in hot climates
- When you have diarrhoea or vomiting
- When you’re running a fever
To keep yourself hydrated, especially when exercising or if you are in hot climates, drinking BodyFuel Hydration and Vitamin Water will help. It contains key electrolytes, vitamins including vitamin D which helps with immunity, and antioxidants to hydrate and fuel you.
2. Healthy Diet
A healthy, balanced diet is crucial for supporting your immune system. You need to make sure you’re consuming sufficient nutrients and giving your body enough energy for its immune system to function properly. To function properly, the body needs a range of macronutrients and micronutrients, which are found across various food groups.
A healthy lifestyle should incorporate the 5 main food groups. The main rule is to eat a wide range of foods from different groups. This includes not only leafy greens, but also carbohydrates, protein, and fats in your diet.
Following a healthy diet and eating a wide range of fruit and vegetables will allow you to get all the nutrients and micronutrients you need, which in turn will support your immune system.
These micronutrients include:
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Zinc
- Magnesium
Diet plays a huge role in determining what kinds of microbes live in our guts. A high-fibre diet which incorporates plenty of whole grains, probiotics, fruits, legumes and vegetables support the growth and maintenance of beneficial microbes. Probiotics in particular contain live, helpful bacteria that help maintain a healthy gut biome.
As well as helping to support your immune system, eating well and getting in your 5 key food groups can help you feel better and healthier, and is great for your heart health too. One of the best ways to get all the nutrients you need to support your immune system is to try out our Critical Greens. It is packed with 17 super-greens extracts including kale, broccoli, carrot, celery and spirulina - it’s a great way to get your greens in quickly and conveniently.
3. Regular Exercise
Regular exercise has multiple benefits. It is good for the heart and helps prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and lung diseases. Additionally, it promotes overall good health, healthy living and strengthens the immune system.
Although prolonged, intense exercise can suppress your immune system, moderate exercise can actually give it a boost. In fact, studies have shown that a single session of moderate exercise can boost the effectiveness of vaccines in people with compromised immune systems. Moderate exercise also may reduce inflammation and help your immune cells with regular regeneration.
Establishing an exercise routine can do you and your body a world of good. It doesn’t just have mental and physical benefits such as reducing stress and warding off health problems, but also benefits your immune system. Examples of moderate exercise include cycling, swimming, brisk walking and light hiking. Most people should be aiming to do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which is only under 30 minutes a day!
Sometimes you might not be motivated to go to the gym or exercise and you may need an extra boost to have you rearing and ready to jump back into routine again. Why not try pre-workout?
Our ABE Ultimate Pre-Workout is the UK’s best selling pre-workout, and delivers a unique blend of the most ergogenic aids and performance ingredients to fuel your physical performance, reduce tiredness and fatigue and to enhance focus throughout your training session. Not a fan of caffeine? Try our ABE PUMP Stim-Free, it is arguably the best pre workout out there that is free from stimulants!
4. Prioritise Sleep
Many people underestimate the importance of sleep to immunity. Getting a good night’s sleep plays a vital role in the body’s ability to produce a strong immune response, whereas lack of sleep can reduce immunity and increase your susceptibility to infection. When you're sick, your brain lets your immune system take over and fight the illness, so you might need more sleep.
When you’re not awake, there are lots of important things happening, and if your sleep is suffering, you will not be giving your body the best chance to fight off infection and illness. In fact, inadequate or poor-quality sleep is linked to a higher susceptibility to sickness. In a study of 164 healthy adults, those who slept fewer than 6 hours each night were more likely to catch a cold than those who slept 6 hours or more each night.
In light of this, adults should aim to get at least 7 or more hours of sleep each night. A good way to help yourself doze off if you’re having trouble sleeping is to limit your screen time for an hour before bed.
This is because of the blue light that is emitted from electronics such as phones, TV and laptops disrupting your natural circadian rhythm/ sleep cycle. It is also a good idea to have a consistent sleep schedule and routine every night so that your body knows when it is time to start winding down for the night so that you can fall asleep.
By prioritising sleep and making sure you get a sufficient amount of uninterrupted shut-eye every night, you can help strengthen your immune system.
If you are struggling to relax and get to sleep at night or are feeling stressed, it may be a good idea to try our Ashwagandha KSM-66 capsules. KSM-66 is the most potent form of Ashwagandha, which supports emotional balance, relaxation and general wellbeing. To learn more about Ashwagandha, check out our blog HERE.
5. Manage Stress
Relieving stress and anxiety is the key to a healthy immune system. The link between the mind and body is undeniable, and a wide variety of illnesses and diseases, including stomach upset, migraines and even heart disease are linked to the effects of emotional stress.
Stress can weaken your immune system. This can happen if it leads to sleep problems, less water intake, less exercise, and unhealthy eating habits. These are just a few examples of how stress can impact your immune system.
Stress and how we deal with it is different for everyone but given the effects it can have on your health, it is important to know how to identify stress so we can relieve it. Stress management is key to immune health, as long-term stress can suppress the immune system and make the body more vulnerable to infections and diseases.
Activities that may help you manage your stress include meditation, journaling, exercise, yoga and also speaking to a therapist. There are also other ways to help manage stress, such as supplementing with Tongkat Ali. Several studies have proven the efficacy of this supplement in reducing cognitive stress, physical stress, and overall stress, as well as improving overall mood.
In conclusion, boosting your immunity is a holistic endeavour that encompasses several key lifestyle choices. There are five important ways to strengthen your body's defenses. These include drinking enough water, eating well, exercising regularly, getting good sleep, and handling stress effectively.
By staying well-hydrated, you provide the foundation for your body's vital processes. A nutrient-rich diet ensures you have the necessary building blocks for a strong immune response. Regular exercise keeps your body in top shape, ready to fend off invaders.
Prioritising sleep allows your immune system to recharge and repair. Finally, managing stress is pivotal, as chronic stress can weaken your body's defences over time.
By making these choices consistently, you can empower your body to better protect itself against illness and maintain optimal health. Taking care of your health is like making an investment. By adopting these habits, you're preparing your body to handle any challenges that may arise.
To view our entire range of products, CLICK HERE.
Written by Shannon Gaskell
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