If you live in an Indian household, this may seem familiar to you. As soon as you get sick, no outside food is allowed. The only food available is homemade and with barely any spice or oil. Mom forces Giloy, aloe vera juice, Khadha, and multivitamins down your throat to boost your immunity and fight pathogens. But soon as you are back on your feet, you forget about your immune system and start munching on a burger. If that's you, you are making a huge mistake. If you still don’t understand the issue, let’s help you out. The immune system needs daily care, not just when you get sick. If you are frequently getting ill, it’s likely that your immunity is not at its best. It might be lacking certain vitamins, or you are stressed, whatever the reason may be. Because it is a chronic condition, acute treatment of Khadha and khichdi will not help. You need to take care of your immunity daily! Think about a car! A car needs fuel to run. Usually, you have to refill it quite frequently if it's running around a lot. But If your tank is empty, you won’t be able to have a smooth ride. Unlike, engine oil which you only need to refill once 3-4 months. The immune system is similar to the car. You need to fuel it up daily! Taking immunity-boosting pills and multivitamins isn't going to provide an instant boost to your immune system and eliminate your illness in a day. Your grandmother's khada isn't going to help with that too. You may recover from your current ailment, but it’s gonna knock on your door soon like a grim reaper. So, why not kick the illness to the curb by strengthening your immunity? Keep reading to learn how to strengthen your immunity. Prevention is better than cure. The problem is people only think about treating their symptoms but completely ignore the root cause. They will take antihistamines for a runny nose and crocin for body aches and fever. But what is causing your illness? Is it your immune system? If so, then how are you going to treat it? What can you do to strengthen your immunity? The only thing you have to do is follow a healthy lifestyle. Time and time again, research has proved that a healthy diet and exercise is the best way to strengthen your immune system. Diet: Eat food rich in healthy fats, carbs, proteins, and fiber. Our immune system requires certain micronutrients, such as vitamin c, zinc, iron, and copper, for proper functioning. A study published in 2020 in the Critical reviews in food and science proves that insufficient concentration of micronutrients like Vitamin C, zinc, and Vitamin D can suppress the immune system. But don't worry, A well-balanced diet usually covers all of these. Though you can take vitamins if your doctor suggests it. Exercise: Working out at least 2-3 hours every week can improve the functioning of immune cells by promoting blood circulation. Exercise can reduce cardiovascular risk factors, prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and lower resting heart rate. One or more of these conditions can make it more difficult for your immune system to prevent infections and viral illnesses such as COVID-19. Stress: Learn to manage your stress. High stress can be detrimental, not just to your mind but also to your heart and immune system. Prolonged stress can also suppress the immune system as it increases the blood concentration of cortisol (a stress hormone) Is your immune system weakened? Find out how to naturally strengthen your immune system by watching this video. Takeaway You need to work on your immunity every day by eating a balanced diet, exercising, keeping up with your immunizations, get regular check-ups done to make sure everything is working correctly inside there. And remember, it's better to prevent illness than treat it because even a minor infection that lasts a few days can damage your health. And your body may take weeks to recover completely. So, take care of your immunity every day and prevent infection in the first place.
