When you are constantly on-the-go taking care of your kids, organizing your home, or going to work, it is hard to remember to take care of yourself. A busy schedule doesn’t allow time for you to catch a cold, so here are some ways to strengthen your immune system to keep your body healthy.
Dietary Supplements
The food you eat doesn’t always provide you with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to protect your immune system. The easiest way to make sure your body is getting the nutrients that it needs is by taking a daily multi-vitamin. The Harvard School of Public Health states that taking a vitamin D supplement along with a multi-vitamin provides great nutrition and can boost your health.
Drink Water
Making sure to stay hydrated can help prevent illness. Water makes up 2/3 of our bodies and performs many important functions such as transporting nutrients and oxygen into cells and regulating body temperature. All of your cells need water in order to function optimally and drinking water will contribute to keeping your cells hydrated and healthy. Doctors recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
Exercise
Daily physical activity has been shown to activate the immune system and prevent chronic health conditions. It helps to increase blood flow, which allows the body to circulate protective immune cells around the body faster. Exercise has also been shown to decrease the risk of certain types of cancers, including breast cancer and colon cancer.
Sleep
Lack of sleep can be detrimental to the immune system and can make you more prone to getting sick. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation leads to a decrease in the amount of white blood cells in the body that help defend against bacteria and viruses. Sleeping the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night can help prevent a decrease in your white blood cell count, keeping your immune system strong.
Reduce Stress!
With our busy schedules and long to-do lists, it is easy to be overcome with stress. When there is long-term activation of the body’s stress-response system, it can have a negative impact on your immune system. Taking time to relax will keep stress from depleting your immune cells. There are various ways to go about reducing stress, and it can be fun! Try signing up for a yoga class or taking a nice, soothing bubble bath. Finding ways to effectively manage your stress will help not only your immune system, but also almost every other system in your body.
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