Strengthen your immune system in 5 moves

STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IN 5 MOVES.

The immune system of a human being is very complex and has been developed in the course of the whole evolution and is constantly changing.

The task of the immune system is to protect the organism with an actual “combat” plan that acts in different ways: from bacteria to viruses, funghi, parasites of every kind, indeed, there are many potential pathogens that may cause damage.

Our body therefore thanks to the immune system is capable of different levels of defense, which are grouped into two large subsets: the innate and the adaptive immune system.

The innate immune response is specific i.e. it acts indiscriminately against each pathogen in a short time and represents the first line of defense. This type of immunity is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and preventing the invasion of microbes/germs.

The soldiers as to say or better those who are fighting this battle are the barriers of mechanical, chemical or biological type i.e. skin, eyelashes, sweat, mucus, but also the intestinal microbiota and stomach acid pH are all ways in which a kind of obstacle is created towards external agents. Also cytokines, some types of antibodies and lymphocytes are mechanisms that belong to the innate immune system.

Only the vertebrates instead have an adaptive immune response, which acts in a more specific way against all those pathogens that also have the ability to adapt and evolve in a very short time.

The first task of the immune system is not only to act against foreign elements, but also includes the removal of old, damaged or altered cells present in our body, avoiding the proliferation that in the long term would be dangerous.

To ensure that our immune system is always at its maximum and is not weakened we can use certain strategies;

STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IN 5 MOVES

To strengthen our immune system we must necessarily :

– Exercise

Physical activity in general and in particular focused training that stimulates the skeletal and muscular systems provides a further defense against diseases and physical degeneration, further reducing the incidence of depressive states and predisposition to infectious diseases.

– Eliminate stress

Stress is often considered as root cause of disease situations for the collapsing of the immune defenses. We must therefore adapt certain techniques to keep it under control, particular benefits and particularly effective are proved to be meditation and yoga

– Sleep better

Sleeping well is critical to help recover the energies used during the day. Sleep and immunity are connected in a bidirectional manner: activation of the immune system alters sleep, and sleep in turn affects the defense system of our body.

A good night recovery is associated with a reduced risk of infection and may improve the outcome of infections and responses to vaccination, while the prolonged lack of sleep can lead to chronic inflammation of low degree and is associated with various diseases that have an inflammatory component, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and neurodegeneration.

– Have good hygiene

We get sick much more easily in the cold periods of the year because it is easier that people are closed inside closed environments with little ventilation in rooms and for a very long time, we must therefore comply with the good rules of hygiene such as washing our hands frequently and aerating the environment often.

– Integrate vitamins and minerals and follow a healthy diet

It seems to be a common saying but it is absolutely true , to reinforce the immune system we need vitamin C with its antioxidant power.

Another vitamin to be taken into particular consideration for a possible integration is vitamin D. It is advisable to have recourse to a supplement of vitamin D in the autumn when there is little sun, and this vitamin cannot be produced because it lacks the exposure of the skin to sunlight.

Integrate without having a good nutritional base however is quiteuseless : it is very important infact to consume fruit and vegetables in at least 5 daily servings.

For example a good share of the vitamin C can be found, besides in citrus fruits, even in kiwi, green leaf vegetables such as spinach and chicory, broccoli, cabbages, pineapple, tomatoes and in peppers.

We also find foods which are anti-inflammatories and rich in antioxidants that are particularly protective against feverish states: some examples are garlic, green tea without sugar, or spices like turmeric and cinnamon which strengthen the immune system and also have positive effects on health in general.