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5 Effective Natural Ways To Boost Your Immune System

If you’re not already taking steps to improve your immune system, you should start now. Many people focus on improving their immune system either to avoid the impact of COVID-19, to avoid catching other infections, or simply to avoid health ailments in general and stay healthy throughout the year.

Although there are many medications out there to help boost your immune system, these are generally only prescribed for certain ailments and sometimes come with side effects. Fortunately, there are many completely natural methods you can use to enhance your immune system and reduce the risk of health problems. Here are 5 of the most effective natural ways to boost your immune system.

1. Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is incredibly important for yourself. If you’re constantly tired at school or work your performance will suffer significantly. Insufficient sleep can also impact your mood and make you feel grumpy or short-tempered, which can impact your relationships with your friends and family. It also has a significant impact on your immune system.

A 2015 study in the Sleep journal found that sleep deprivation found that those who slept for less than 6 hours each night were more likely to catch a common cold than those who slept 6 hours or more. This suggests that sleep deprivation can contribute significantly to a poor and ineffective immune system.

When you sleep, various processes take place in your system that will strengthen your immune system and boost your defense against various illnesses. As such, those who want to avoid getting ill should aim to get over 6 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble sleeping, you might want to try keeping to a regular sleep schedule and avoid caffeine late in the day.

2. Get Plenty Of Vitamin D

While many vitamins and minerals can contribute to a healthy immune system, vitamin D is arguably the most important. Adequate levels of vitamin D help protect muscle, bone, and heart health, as well as increasing calcium absorption and various other impressive benefits. However, many people don’t get enough vitamin D.

The best natural way to boost your vitamin D levels is to spend plenty of time in the sun. Getting around 30 minutes of sunlight a day can help increase your levels of vitamin D and enhance your immune system. Of course, while this is easy enough in the summer by simply going for a walk or relaxing outside, it becomes much more difficult in the winter.

There are a few other ways to enhance your vitamin D levels. For example, you could change your diet. Foods such as fatty fish, beef liver, dairy products, and orange juice are high in vitamin D. Some brands of orange juice are also fortified with high levels of vitamin D. You can also take daily vitamin D supplements. These are especially helpful during the winter to keep your vitamin D levels high and your immune system functioning properly.

3. Improve Your Diet

Naturally, one of the best ways to improve your health is by improving your diet. Eating healthily can help you lose weight, build muscle, and improve your physical fitness, all of which can contribute to a healthy immune system. What’s more, certain foods and drinks can naturally help boost your immune system.

Some of the foods that are known for boosting your immune system include citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, spinach, yogurt, almonds, and chicken. These foods are healthy, natural, and provide many vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that your body needs. You might want to incorporate these ingredients into your daily meals to keep your immune system healthy.

Of course, certain beverages can also help keep your immune system on point. Adding ingredients such as citrus fruits and ginger to smoothies will help give your immune system a natural boost. Green tea is also great for your immune system as it contains plenty of natural antioxidants.

4. Exercise Regularly

Another simple change that can help improve your immune system is to get more exercise. While overtraining can have the opposite effect and make you feel weak, partaking in moderate exercise regularly will help keep your immune system strong and your overall health in check for many reasons.

A 2015 study in the Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science journal found that exercise has a prolonged effect on your immune system. Even a single session of moderate exercise is enough to enhance your immunity and even increase the effectiveness of vaccines. Regularly exercising can help with immune cell regeneration and also reduce inflammation.

As such, you should find ways to incorporate physical activity into your routine. You don’t have to work out for hours in the gym – a 20-minute run in the morning is enough to keep your body fit and your immune system healthy. You could also consider other forms of exercise such as yoga, calisthenics, or sports like basketball or soccer.

5. Keep Yourself Hydrated

Drinking enough water is important for many reasons. Dehydration can impact your mood, cognitive function, energy, and even your immune system. Staying hydrated helps regulate your body temperature, deliver nutrients to cells, and ward off infections, all of which will help boost your immune system.

You can tell you’re dehydrated when you experience headaches, fatigue, and lightheadedness. However, you should ensure that you’re drinking plenty of water before you experience any of these symptoms. Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water a day, if not more. You might want to fill up a large bottle of water and keep it with you to ensure you get enough.

It also helps to avoid beverages that contribute to dehydration. Energy drinks, fizzy sodas, and coffee can all contribute to dehydration, so try to drink these in moderation. It’s also best to avoid drinks that are high in sugar.

Conclusion

You don’t need to wait till you get sick to work on improving your immune system. You should regularly take steps to naturally boost your immune system. Not only will these five natural methods help ward off illnesses and disease, but they’ll also improve your overall physical and mental health and contribute to a healthier and happier life.

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