So far, we have covered a general understanding of the immune system and what foods and eating habits we should include to improve its health and ability to function. In Part 3 we are learning the final piece of the puzzle with healthy lifestyle changes that we can make for the best immune system that we can have.
Lifestyle changes for a Healthy Immune System.
· Eating well as noted in Part 2.
· Drink water- Stay hydrated. Water is important in helping our blood and lymph cells, which have immune cells in them, to circulate throughout our bodies. Each person’s needs are different, but a good guideline is to aim for eight 8oz glasses of water per day.
· Regular physical activity helps you to feel better, sleep better, and reduce anxiety. It also contributes to maintaining a healthy weight. Moderate intensity exercise mobilizes immune cells outside of the bone into the bloodstream, it also helps to move the immune cells in the bloodstream into the tissues which helps with immune surveillance. It is recommended to get 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise every week- just 30 minutes 5 times per week!
· Maintain a healthy weight- Obesity is linked to impaired immune function, and it may also lower vaccine effectiveness.
· Get adequate sleep- Sleep loss negatively affects immune system function. A lot of things are taking place as we are sleeping, including immune functions. It is important to have enough sleep to keep our immune system balance. It is recommended to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
· Don’t smoke- Smoking makes the body less successful at fighting diseases and increases the risk of immune system problems like RA.
· Drink alcohol in moderation- Excessive alcohol, over time, weakens the immune system. It is recommended that women should limit to no more than 1 drink per day and men limit to no more than 2 drinks per day.
· Wash your hands frequently.
· Minimize stress- Stress directly weakens the immune system and chronic stress, a more constant and frequent exposure to stressors, has been shown to take a toll on the immune system function with causing a reactivation of some viruses (chicken pox to shingles) and increasing inflammation as is seen with hives. Stress can have a secondary impact on our immune system function as well through leading to sleep disturbances, contributing to a tendency to eat less healthy food, reducing our water intake and decreasing our exercise level. It is important to be able to identify stress in ourselves and to know some different options to reduce stress in our lives. Self-care is very important in countering the effects of stress in our lives and it helps us to “refill your tank” to be able to continue participating in life. Here are a few options to try:
o Deep breathing
o Meditation
o Prayer
o Exercise, walking
o Yoga
o Drinking herbal tea instead of coffee or other caffeinated drinks
o Massage
o Warm bath
o Journaling and mindfulness activities
· Maintain meaningful social connections- This feeds emotional health, this in turn protects the immune system.
· Find a furry friend- They give us a reason to exercise, they help lower our blood pressure and cholesterol, they help us to have healthier hearts. They are emotional support and help us to lower stress levels as well.
· Try to look on the bright side- Maintaining a positive outlook and not dwelling on the bad things in life help our immune system to work better.
· Have a laugh- Laughing is known to improve our immune systems and help us to maintain a positive outlook.
Thank you for staying with me for all 3 parts! I hope you learned some good habits for lifestyle changes to make, and what foods to have regularly stocked in the refrigerator or pantry to help you and your immune system be healthy, strong and working at its best!
References:
Related Post Links:
Naturally Boosting your Immune System Part 1
Naturally Boosting your Immune System Part 2
Next Time:
Stay tuned for my next blog in 2 weeks for learning How to Incorporate Movement into Your Busy Day!
Author: Jen Hassaj | 2-21-2024
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