How to Boost Your Immune System (During COVID-19)

Protecting your immune system is always an important task. It has become even more vital as we begin our new decade with the global pandemic of COVID-19. Here are 5 ways to boost your immune system during these uncertain times.

This coronavirus is notorious for preying on those who are already at risk due to a lowered immune system. The most logical and practical defense is to do all that we can to ensure that our bodies are up to the task of fighting it off. Thankfully, there are many simple things we can do from home to help our bodies prepare.

1. Reduce Stress

Stressing out is one of the most damaging things we can do to our immune system. When we suffer from stress, the hormone cortecorsteroid releases into the blood stream. This hormone signals the body to reduce the number of infection-fighting white blood cells that our body would otherwise produce. Our natural defense system against illness is lowered when we are stressed and anxious.

Stress is also one of the chemical reactions that is largely under our own control. While we may not be able to dictate the situations that we encounter, we are capable of determining our responses to the them. Stress is an evolutionary response to danger, and is also known as our flight-or-fight response. In earlier times, this response would keep our ancestors alive when faced with a warring enemy or a hungry lion. Modern encounters don’t typically present such imminent threat to our safety. Learning to apply coping skills – such as taking one day at a time and practicing mindfulness –  can reorient our psyche to calm down and stop panicking over situations that are not an immediate danger.

2. Get Good Sleep

During sleep, your body and brain go into a repair cycle, helping to boost your immune system. Some of the proteins that are released  by the body as an agent to fight disease and infection are produced while we sleep, and less sleep means less of these proteins are made. Sleep also provides our brains with the opportunity to go through a sort of decluttering process, which can help to relieve the anxiety and stress that accumulate over the course of a day.

Obtaining a better night’s sleep often comes down to purposefully initiating routines that help us to wind down and get ready for bed. Some easy adjustments include:

• • Not consuming caffeine after a certain point in the day
  • Choosing a regular bedtime
  • Staying away from the smartphone or television while in the bed

If you need a kick-start with teaching your body to sleep on a schedule, certain prescriptions and supplements may be helpful.

3. Exercise Regularly

The benefits of exercise are numerous, but it is important as exercise can help boost your immune system. The idea behind this concept involves the way that cardiovascular exercise increases blood circulation.

Increased blood circulation means that the infection-fighting cells that tend to gather in certain areas of the body have the opportunity to move throughout. In essence, getting your blood pumping is also sending these little soldiers on patrol. Immune-boosting exercise doesn’t need to be vigorous, but it does need to be regular.

4. Focus on Nutrition

While our current society has made some strides toward promoting the benefits of good eating habits, there is still a lack of focus on what healthy eating actually does for the body. The primary function of food is to provide our bodies with the fuel needed to run efficiently. Similarly to how putting higher quality oil and gas into a car will keep it running better and longer, putting high quality foods into our bodies will keep us healthier and more full of energy.

When the body is under attack from foreign invaders, such as virus and bacteria, the immune system requires more energy. It will pull this energy from the food consumed at the time – such as that bowl of chicken soup that grandma so wisely promoted – or from the nutrition stores that already exist in the body. If the body is undernourished or malnourished, the infection-fighting cells do not have much arsenal to draw from. An effective defensive immune system will be able to utilize a store of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

5. Consider Supplements to Boost Your Immune System

Ideally, all of your nutritional needs to boost your immune system will be met by the range, quality, and quantity of healthy foods that we are consuming on a daily basis. This ideal, however, can be hard to obtain along with accommodating our busy lifestyles. In order to make up for the lack of adequate nutrition often found in Western practices, some turn to nutritional supplements and vitamins.

A person’s age, sex, and specific health needs can impact the need for, and the effectiveness of supplements. Remember to consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nutritionist before beginning a supplement regime. With that disclaimer in hand, the following are some of the supplements that help the body to boost the immune system.

• • Vitamin C: This stimulates the production of antibodies, which are used to identify foreign invaders.
  • Vitamin D: Vitamin D provides fuel for the immune system cells of the body.
  • Vitamin A: This helps the body to repair skin and tissue, which improves the barrier between our bodies and any infections which seek to infiltrate it.
  • Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which protects cells against free radicals.
  • Zinc: Zinc stimulates the immune system and promotes healing of wounds.
  • Ginseng: Ginseng has many nutritional uses, including overall regulation of the function of the immune system.
  • Echinacia: Echinacia helps to increase white blood cells, which are the body’s primary infection fighters.
  • Quercitin: Quercitin is both an antioxidant, and an anti-allergen.
  • Glutathione: Glutathione helps to balance the immune system in fighting off infection and reducing inflamation.
  • N-Acetyle Cysteine: NAC assists in keeping the immune system healthy and helps to repair cell damage.
  • Melatonin: Melatonin is a substance that is naturally produced by the body. It helps in regulating sleep schedules and boosts ability to obtain high-quality sleep.

Final Thought

Learning how to boost your immune system is important, especially now. These 5 techniques can help protect your body from bacteria and viruses and improve your quality of life. Your pharmacist is a great resource for finding the best plan for you – just call!