After 2020, I think we’re more aware than ever of our need for a strong immune system. Our bodies must be well-equipped to fight off illness...COVID or otherwise. Unfortunately, many of the strategies and supplements we employ to “boost” the immune system are not all that effective.
Our Immune Response
Many of us are under the wrong impression when it comes to our immune systems. According to the experts, balance — not strength — should be the goal for our immune system. Too strong of an immune response can be just as damaging as too little response.
When we get sick, our symptoms are not indicative of the illness, but our immune response. The more intense the symptoms, the harder our system is fighting against these foreign bodies. At the same time, the immune system is impossibly complex. We don’t understand all that much about it.
Even if those immunity supplements don’t help your immune system function differently, there are steps we can take to bring balance to our system and optimize our immune response.
3 Things That Compromise the Immune System
1) Stress and Loneliness
We tend to think of mental and emotional health as separate from physical health. However, the former impact the latter in significant ways. I’ve discussed the impact of unchecked stress on the body before. Not only can it increase your risks for high blood pressure and heart disease, among other complications, but it can harm your overall immune function.
Stress releases a flurry of chemicals in the body (the fight-or-flight response). The release of cortisol, in particular, can decrease the effectiveness of virus and infection-fighting T-cells.
Stress isn’t the only mental and emotional matter at hand. Both grief and loneliness can negatively impact our immune system. Depression and anxiety brought on by these experiences release hormones that harm our ability to fight infection.
2) Poor Hand Hygiene
There’s a reason there was such a big push to wash our hands at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Our hands come in contact with countless surfaces throughout the day, most of which are breeding grounds for some nasty bacteria.
Want to know a gross fact? 4 out of 5 people worldwide don’t wash their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom. I know. Pretty horrifying.
This allows a plethora of bacteria to cling to our skin and spread to other surfaces...and people. Because so many infections spread through contact, it’s especially important to be diligent in your hand-washing routine.
When in doubt, wash your hands. Do it after you use the bathroom, before and after handling food, after playing with the family pet, before treating any wounds, and after you cough or sneeze.
3) Smoking and Alcohol
It should come as no surprise to us that smoking and alcohol consumption can have negative effects on the body. Smoking can impair not only lung health but their ability to properly process oxygen. The irritation and inflammation in the airways, too, make you more susceptible to respiratory illness.
In the same way, excessive alcohol consumption impairs your immunity as much as it impairs your senses. Acetaldehyde is suspected to reduce effective lung function. Like smoking, this leaves you more vulnerable to respiratory illness.
3 Things That Improve the Immune System
1) Regular Exercise
Just as a sedentary lifestyle compromises immunity, regular, moderate-intensity exercise improves it. Exercise promotes cell regeneration and reduces inflammation. Some studies show that moderate exercise can even increase the effectiveness of vaccines! Obesity also negatively impacts immune function, which is less likely if you get regular exercise.
2) Adequate Sleep
Sleep is so incredibly important. There’s a reason we’re told to get plenty of rest and sleep when we’re sick. It’s so your body can more effectively fight those nasty invaders! Experts recommend at least seven hours of sleep for adults. It’s not just for the sake of your immune system, but brain function, healing, and the prevention of heart disease.
3) Whole Foods and Hydration
Diet plays a role in our immune function. Adequate hydration, whole foods, pre-and probiotics, and healthy fats all work together to improve not only the overall health and function of our systems but particularly that of the immune system. Of course, this also means that we must limit excess sugars and processed foods in our diet.
When we optimize nutritional intake, our bodies function like a well-oiled machine. They have what they need to do the job. When we lack proper nutrition and hydration, we’re leaving our systems without the proper tools they need to keep things in good health and good working order.
How do you prioritize your immune system function? Share your strategies in the comments.