In recent times, boosting the immune system and maintaining health has become a hot topic and a big concern. But how do you become healthy? How can you boost your body’s natural defenses?
Understanding Immune System
Your body has a built-in battle mechanism called the immune system which defends against disease-causing microorganisms. If this system fails, the microorganisms can attack successfully and you get sick. But, can you boost or enhance your immune system to prevent your body from falling prey to infectious diseases? Science does not yet have a definitive answer. However, making some changes and following a healthy lifestyle are good ways to boost your immune system in such situations.
What can you do to increase your immune system?
The idea of boosting your immunity is appealing, but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons. The immune system is just that — a system, not a single entity. To function properly, balance and harmony are needed. There is still much that researchers don’t know about the intricacies and interrelationships of immune responses. To date, there is no scientifically proven direct link between a sedentary lifestyle and an increase in immune function.
But that doesn’t mean the effects of a lifestyle on the immune system aren’t interesting and shouldn’t be studied. Researchers are exploring the effects of diet, exercise, age, psychological stress, and other factors on immune responses, in both animals and humans. Meanwhile, healthy living strategies generally make sense because they likely aid immune function and they come with other proven health benefits.
Eat more plant-based food
Whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that can help you fight off harmful pathogens.
The antioxidants in these foods help reduce inflammation by fighting unstable compounds called free radicals, which can lead to inflammation when they build up in your body in high levels.
Chronic inflammation is linked to a variety of health conditions, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers.
Meanwhile, the fiber in plant-based foods feeds your gut microbiome, or the healthy bacterial community in your gut. A robust gut microbiome can boost your immunity and help prevent harmful pathogens from entering your body via your digestive tract.
Also, fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients like vitamin C, which can reduce the duration of the common cold.
