The immune system provides a natural defence against illness, but are there ways to strengthen the immune system naturally?
During flu and cold season you may choose to take supplements to boost the immune system, and now during a global coronavirus pandemic many more of us need protection against contracting the virus or help to fight it off more effectively if we become infected.
Below we look at ways to boost the immune system naturally, and how effective they are.
What is the immune system?
“The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body against infection and maintain overall health.” – find more helpful immune system facts in this article from Everyday Health.
The immune system is a network of elements working together to defend against infection so it is difficult to understand exactly what can improve immunity system function. However, this doesn’t mean we should leave it to its own defences! Much research has been conducted to examine how a healthy lifestyle can be an immune system booster. If we help our bodies function healthily, we equip ourselves with the strength and durability to stay fighting fit.
A Defensive Diet
Fuelling the body correctly will help to increase immunity system function. Eating unhealthily is like putting diesel into a petrol engine – it will clog it up, cause damage, and eventually cause it to fail. Our bodies need the right vitamins and minerals and the more naturally they are consumed, the better. Good immunity system food is a diet high in fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and low in processed ingredients, sugars, and saturated fats.
Foods which are high in vitamin C are a good immunity system booster. Citrus fruits, broccoli and spinach are rich in vitamin C and iron which could help to boost the immune system naturally.
Be Fighting Fit
Exercise is key to boost the immunity system. It improves heart function, lowers blood pressure, boosts circulation, improves mental wellbeing, and contributes to a healthy weight. When searching for ways to boost your immune system naturally, fitness is important.
Completing 30 minutes of moderate exercise, five times a week is tricky with a busy lifestyle, so when we exercise we should do it efficiently.
Kinetik Wellbeing has a range of devices to support fitness including the Kinetik Heart Rate Monitor which transmits live workout data from chest strap to wristwatch throughout your workout, measuring maximum and average heart rate, calories burned and time exercised.
Wellness and Weight
Can a healthy diet help boost the immune system naturally?
Maintaining a healthy weight helps your body function efficiently without placing extra strain on your heart or arteries.
Sustaining a healthy weight could be considered an effective immunity system booster as well as being important for overall good health.
The Kinetik Wellbeing Body Composition Analyser can help you understand the makeup of your body weight including body fat percentage, BMI, body water percentage, muscle mass, and bone density. Awareness of body composition can provide support in maintaining a healthy weight.
Mental Health Boost
Good physical health can boost the immune system naturally, but studies have suggested that there may be a link between the immune system and mental health too.
Stress puts our bodies under additional strain as responsive chemicals and hormones such as adrenaline are released into the system. If we face repeated, longer periods of stress or poor mental health our bodies work overtime to counteract the negative effects, this can weaken the immune system, and make us more prone to illness.
For support with mental health, visit Mind or Samaritans.
How to boost the immune system
The best ways to increase immune system function and boost the immune system naturally are to take care of your physical and mental wellbeing. There are many immune system vitamins, proteins and supplements to available but they are only effective if we equip ourselves with the best natural defenses in the forms of healthy weight, heart, mind, and diet.
For devices to improve your physical wellbeing at home visit www.kinetikwellbeing.com. We will support you and your family to Be Well, Stay Well.