As you age, you start to notice that your body is not as healthy as it was before. It quickly triggers reactions as you are exposed to pathogens and dust. From skin rash to itching and from sneezing to coughing, everyone may experience different sorts of allergic reactions depending on how much levels of histamine are produced in their blood.
Immunity is a mechanism made with a complex network of organs, proteins and cells that fight off foreign invaders that enter through your nostrils and mouth in the form of dust, pathogens, viruses and germs. Every day, your body is attacked by hundreds of harmful germs and pathogens, but it is your immune system that sterile them before they attack your tissues and organs. This is called the innate immune system.
The first time when a germ or microbe enters your body, your immune system responds to it by attacking its protein cells, known as an inflammatory response. This may make you feel sick. But when the same microbe enters your body again, your immune system knows how to deal with it. It will make antibodies and use them against those unwanted invaders. This is called the adaptive immune system.
Things that are constantly making your immune system weaker
No doubt your immunity will become weaker as you age, but some people are not lucky enough to have strong immunity even at a young age. Children are naturally more vulnerable to bacteria and viruses as their immune systems develop, but your lifestyle should also be held accountable for making you fall sick so often. Here are the things that are most commonly responsible for making your immune system less strong:
1. Excessive stress or overthinking
Stress is not always bad. Without stress, you might trapped in life-threatening situations. For instance, when you are crossing a road, and you see a car approaching you like wind, you suddenly feel fear of losing your life and immediately run to the other side of the road and save yourself. Stress is responsible for keeping you alert and immediately making a decision when you are in a “do or die” situation.
Getting up early in the morning, getting dressed on time, reaching your office on time and reaching your examination hall on time are some of everyday life’s episodes that require you to be alert, and this happens on account of light stress.
Unfortunately, some people take too much stress. They keep thinking about events that are not in their control. It is always let go of what you cannot control. It can be difficult to do so, but overthinking about negative episodes of life will trigger the cortisol hormone. Research has proved that chronic stress impairs your immune cells. Your body will become weak to fight off foreign invaders. In fact, you will more often than not experience allergic reactions because stress causes histamine intolerance.
2. Nutritional deficiency
Your diet plays a paramount role in keeping your immunity stronger. Bear in mind any nutritional deficiency will have a bad impact on your immunity. Whether it is vitamin D or calcium, you need everything to strengthen your immunity, even though they do not directly contribute to strengthening your immune system.
You should take a balanced diet. A balanced diet includes everything that lets you consume protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Try to avoid too much reliance on processed food and sugary food as they are simply empty calories devoid of all nutrients. Smoking and alcohol consumption are also bad for your immunity. Smoking can cause severely deadly diseases like cancer. As far as it is about alcohol, the consumption should be moderate.
Although an average healthy man can consume two drinks per day and an average healthy woman can consume one drink every day, you should understand your body’s capacity. It is likely that the standard recommendation is also taking a toll on your immunity and overall body.
Young children should take care of their diet as their immune system is in the developing stage. This is the crucial time when you should be wary of your diet. Do not overeat and do not need to completely ban processed food, but make sure you are taking in all types of nutrients through your meals.
3. A lack of sleep
Workaholics are in droves nowadays. Amid the compulsion of emerging yourself as the best to streak ahead, you tend to work overtime, which means compromising your sleep. Some people have to work harder as they are unable to get by on a single income. With the help of a side gig or a part-time job, people are trying to pay down personal instalment loans.
There is no denying that you will have to work harder to get by, but you should avoid compromising your sleep hours. If you do not sleep enough, your body will take a longer time to heal. Your body goes through a lot of repair work when you sleep. If you avoid sleeping or you sleep for fewer hours, the repair work will not be carried out correctly. As a result, your body will fail to produce enough cells and antibodies to fight off infections.
4. A lack of fruits and green leafy veggies
As you know, a healthy diet plays a crucial role in improving your overall health; you must not forget to include fruits and green leafy veggies. Despite having a balanced diet, you might be missing some fruits and dark leafy vegetables. They have some antioxidants that you cannot find in other foods. Try to eat seasonal fruits and dark leafy vegetables.
Make sure you eat whole fruits because fruit juice is simply a drink of sugar or empty calories. Antioxidants are found in the outer skin of fruits. You will miss out on them if you prefer fruit juice. Juice can increase the risk of diabetes, and once you catch a disease, it will undoubtedly have a bad impact on your immunity. Further, your whole body is interconnected with the function of others, so one disease can lead to another.
It is vital to have all sorts of foods, but you must know overconsumption can lead to several complications and poor immunity. Eat everything but moderately.
Foods that help boost your immunity
Here are certain foods that help boost your immune system:
- Berries – berries are rich in antioxidants known for boosting immunity. You can eat them in a variety of foods, such as yoghurt, smoothies, etc.
- Fish – if you eat fish, you should try to include salmon, tuna or mackerel in your diet. They are rich in omega 3, which is best known for boosting immunity. If you do not eat fish, take omega-3 supplements.
- Nuts and seeds – nuts and seeds are rich in vitamin B6, magnesium selenium and phosphorus which are not in abundant in other foods.
- Certain spices – some spices like turmeric, ginger and garlic are known for having immunity-boosting properties.
- Citrus fruits – citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. This is the most essential vitamin that helps you boost your immunity.
The final comment
Your immune system is responsible for preventing you from various types of infections, but it must be strong enough to fight off foreign invaders. You will have to watch out your lifestyle to keep yourself fit.
