Most people understand, fundamentally, that your immune system is the combination of cells and organs designed to rid your body of infections. They know that if you have a weak immune system, you’ll be more likely to get sick and stay sick, and if you have a strong immune system, you’ll be better-suited to fighting off infections.
But how true is this common knowledge? And more importantly, what does it mean to have a “strong” immune system? Are there steps you can take to make your immune system stronger?
Immune System Basics
Let’s start with some of the basics of how the immune system works. The immune system relies primarily on different types of white blood cells, which travel the body in search of foreign bodies like bacteria and viruses. When the immune system recognizes a specific foreign body as a threat, it sends white blood cells to identify and neutralize those threats. The immune system can also analyze new threats, so it can respond to them more efficiently the next time they invade.
In other words, a stronger immune system can help you in several ways. It can fight off threats faster and more efficiently, resulting in the elimination of infection at a faster rate. It can also learn to identify threats faster, so you gain immunity to new illnesses more reliably.
Boosting Your Immune System
First, the bad news: there are some aspects of your immune system you can’t control. Your genetic makeup may leave you with a naturally stronger or weaker immune system, which you won’t have much control over. Similarly, if you suffer from an underlying condition that weakens your immune system, you may have limited ability to mitigate its effects.
However, there are many strategies you can employ to boost your immune system’s strength, such as:
- Taking supplements. Your immune system relies on a number of compounds to function properly, including vitamins and minerals. Additionally, certain ingredients are shown to improve immune system function. You can make sure you’re getting ample qualities of all of these by taking an immune support supplement.
- Eating lots of fruits and vegetables. You can also increase your consumption of key vitamins and minerals for immune health by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. If your fruit and vegetable consumption is also part of an overall balanced, healthy diet, you can also keep your weight and blood pressure down, which can support your immune system even further.
- Getting plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep is linked to poor immune system function, so it’s vital to get a proper amount of sleep for your immune system to do its job. Adults are recommended to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you’re struggling to get this level of sleep, consider making a change to your environment or habits to get closer to achieving it.
- Getting plenty of exercise. Physical exercise reduces your stress, reduces your blood pressure, and keeps you at a healthy weight; collectively, these effects will improve the functionality of your immune system. It’s also going to keep you happier and more positive overall, so don’t skip it.
- Reducing stress. If you’re chronically stressed or if you have a negative attitude, your immune system simply won’t work as well. Try reducing your workload, adopting a more positive mindset, and utilizing practices like journaling or meditation to clear your thoughts periodically.
Why a Strong Immune System Still Isn’t Enough
Of course, there are a few limitations of strengthening your immune system as a strategy to protect yourself from disease.
- Even the strongest immune system won’t protect you from everything. Even with a near-perfect immune system, there are some infectious diseases that can still be a threat. For example, the 1918 outbreak of influenza was so deadly in part because people with strong immune systems were actually more susceptible to the negative effects.
- Immune systems can’t prevent an infection from happening. Strong immune systems can recognize and eliminate infections, but they can’t prevent the initial infections by themselves. For that, you’ll need to be cautious in your environment, washing your hands regularly and disinfecting surfaces whenever possible.
- You can still be a carrier of infectious disease. Even if you have a strong immune system to protect yourself from the effects of an infectious illness, you may still be contagious to other people.
The bottom line here is that a stronger immune system will increase your likelihood of successfully and quickly fighting off infectious diseases, and there are several ways you can do it. However, a strong immune system isn’t everything, and you’ll still need to invest in other areas to keep yourself and the people around you healthy.
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This content is sponsored by Larry Alton.
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