If there’s one thing that the Coronavirus pandemic has taught us is how important it is to have a strong immune system that can help us recover faster from any disease or illness. To achieve that, we need to adopt a series of lifestyle habits that not only can they boost our immune system but can also improve our mood and overall wellbeing. Here are the most important ones.
Get enough sleep
It was somewhat known that sleep improves our health but now there is the science to prove it. According to a recent study, people who sleep fewer than 6 hours are more likely to catch a cold in comparison to those who sleep 6 hours and more.
To maximize the benefits of sleep you should aim at getting 7 or more hours of sleep each night. For teens, this time stretches to around 8-10 hours and for younger children and infants to 14 hours.
But what can you do if you belong to those people who find it hard to get a good night’s sleep? For a start, you should limit screen time for an hour before bed and, secondly, avoid eating heavy and sugary foods at night.
Add more whole plant foods in your diet
For those people who don’t know what whole plant foods are, they are foods that are whole, unrefined, and unprocessed. Some examples are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
These foods are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that help decrease inflammation. Inflammation is a serious condition that can have a negative effect on the body, and it is caused by the building up of free radicals.
Chronic inflammation is linked to several health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and some types of cancer.
In addition to providing antioxidants, plant foods contain a lot of fiber, which is highly beneficial for the body. Lastly, fruits and vegetables contain lots of vitamin C, which is known to help reduce the duration of the common cold.
Say yes to healthy fats
There is a common belief that fats are bad for us, but this is far from true. Some fats are healthy, and they can be highly beneficial for our bodies. For example, fats like Omega-3 fatty acids are notorious for fighting inflammation, which is known to suppress our immune system.
The most major sources of healthy fats include salmon, chia seeds, and olive oil.
Cut down on added sugars
Contrary to fats, added sugars are bad for us. But where are added sugars most commonly found? The major sources are drinks, candy, cakes, cookies, pies, and fruit drinks.
The reason why these sugars have a negative impact on our immune system is that they can dramatically increase our weight gain and cause obesity. In turn, obesity can cause other problems which can compromise our immune system and weaken it against the flu and other diseases.
Exercise but not too much
What people might not know is that prolonged and intense exercise can suppress the immune system. In comparison, moderate exercise can have the opposite effect, with most scientists recommending exercising for at least 150 minutes per week.
Make sure this kind of exercise gives you some enjoyment to motivate you to do it more often. Examples of moderate exercise include jogging, biking, swimming, and hiking.
Keep yourself hydrated
Another way of boosting your immune system is by drinking water. Even though staying hydrated won’t directly protect you from germs and viruses, it keeps headaches at bay, and it improves your mood, focus, and digestion.
This way, you are less likely to get sick and your overall health is improved.
Relieve your stress
Relieving stress may be one of the most important ways to you boost your immune system. Stress is the root cause of many health problems and, when left untreated, may cause inflammation, as well as imbalances in immune cell function.
Therefore, it is important to do activities and find ways to relieve it, such as yoga, meditation, and exercise.
This last point concludes the best ways to boost our immune and improve our lives and overall health. Thankfully, we live in a beautiful country with abundant sunshine and natural beauty which can help tremendously in staying healthy and happy. And if you don’t live here but wish you did, Cysense can help you by finding or building you the perfect property in the most perfect country, Cyprus!
