One truth that pertains to everyone is no one wants to be sick. Not only is it a physically painful or draining experience, but there is also a litany of side effects that come with it, from missing out on appointments to not taking proper care of oneself. Illnesses and ailments are as numerous as fish in the sea, which means there is no silver bullet for fighting off these things.
Our immune system can be improved and empowered
Some of us will fight off the common cold this year while others may face something worse, though hopefully, this is not the case. Whatever the illness, having a healthy defense ready is imperative for shortening that period of sickness or avoiding it.
Author David Wolfe spoke about the capabilities of the immune system. He said, “Fortunately, our immune system can be improved and empowered.” He added, “To such a point that not only can the harmful microbes be halted, and the chemicals detoxified, but also a “stress defense shield” may be built up, which can even drive off the effects of daily stress.”
Seeing how helpful it can be to have a highly-function immune system, begs the question, what are simple and natural ways to boost immunity? We connected with a handful of experts to get their answers to this question.
Diet
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Dr. Payel Gupta, is CMO, and Co-Founder of Cleared, a brand offering an online allergy clinic. She suggests paying close attention to the food that is consumed regularly.
“There are certain things that your body doesn’t produce naturally that it needs to function, such as water. Then there are the food items that have benefits that can greatly impact the overall state of your immune system, should you choose to incorporate them into your diet.
Fruits and vegetables are the obvious starting point, as the nutrients here have some impactful vitamins and minerals. On top of this, food items with protein and fiber should also be of high priority. Your immune system will only operate at the quality with which it is fueled, so consider that when deciding what to eat.”
Sleep
In a very busy world, it can be easy to view sleep as somewhat non-essential, since it is not an action that aids in the chasing of a goal. Personal Trainer Pioneer is a business providing helpful, up-to-date, and relevant advice and resources for aspiring personal trainers. Its Founder and Senior Editor, Tyler Read, advises making sleep a routine activity because of the effects it has.
“Think of the last time that you were sick. Was your desire to, or frequency of, sleep higher than it is normal for you? I’d guess that your answer to this question is yes. This is an incredibly natural thing, as sleep promotes and accelerates the body’s ability to heal. Even if you’re not sick, the amount of sleep has a direct relationship with the health of your immune system. If you’re not sleeping, at the very least, 6 hours a night, you’re harming yourself.”
Water
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Mad Rabbit specializes in tattoo aftercare products. Their CEO and Co-Founder, Oliver Zak considers the natural resource to have a significant influence on the condition of an immune system.
“Technology and food advancement have brought us to a point where it seems there’s a new health drink available at every turn and a new one just around the corner. I’m not saying that some of these have no benefits, but the fact remains that water is the way to go when it comes to improving your immunity.
When we drink enough water, we avoid dehydration, which puts additional stress on our muscles and joints. Water allows us to function as intended, and by avoiding it we are only choosing discomfort and lack of energy.”
Exercise
Hector Gutierrez is the CEO of JOI, a brand offering plant milk concentrates. He cautions others to make sure they are getting enough physical activity each day.
“Exercising does so much more for you than simply helping to stay in shape. First, it can lower your odds of contracting a disease related to numerous parts of your body, such as the liver or heart. Second, regular exercise helps regulate and improve your breathing and oxygen distribution. Finally, the overall strength of your bones is improving as well.
So top to bottom, ensuring that you’re exercising regularly is probably much more important than you’re aware of presently. Exercise looks different for everyone, so there’s no set routine you have to do, just find what works for you and stick to it.”
Reduce sugar
One of the most appealing ingredients on the planet is sugar due to its sweet, and also addictive, nature. Nue Life is a business that provides mental wellness. Their Co-Founder and CEO, Juan Pablo Cappello, proposes making an effort to lower the amount of consumed sugar.
“I think everyone is fairly aware of the fact that sugar is bad for you. But, I don’t think they know the extent of the information behind it. Eating sugar greatly increases your chances of diabetes, obesity, and heart problems, which all put tremendous strain on your immune system on a daily basis.
Given how readily available and present sugar is in the surrounding foods, eating a reduced amount of sugar may not be the easiest challenge to accomplish. However, your body and immunity will thank you for doing so.”
Vitamin supplements
Winona specializes in anti-aging and wellness for women. Their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Green, believes outside sources of vitamins can go a long way in furthering the ability of one’s immune system.
“The word vitamins gets thrown around a lot in our culture, but we may not have the best handle on what they do and why they’re important. Take vitamin C, for example. In the winter, people are quick to turn to many forms of vitamins in order to overcome a cold. But did you know that it also helps fight heart, eye, and even prenatal diseases?
It’s true, and those three right there are enough to convince anyone to begin finding healthy ways to get more vitamin C in their system. Vitamin D, from the sun, is also important and with all of us working from home our sun exposure has dropped, so we need to be sure we’re taking the time for this one.”
Lower stress
Ryan Rottman is the Co-Founder and CEO of OSDB, a brand offering an online sports database. He advises others to take stock of the elements of their life that add pressure and work to remove them.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do on a daily basis, all of us deal with stress on some level. Some people even deal with so much stress, that it begins to break their bodies down. When we’re stressed, we tend to be hyper-focused and consumed by the issue bothering us. This causes us to lose track of our physical being.
What we don’t realize is that continued and high levels of stress put additional strain on our immune system. This makes it work harder and less efficiently. While we’ll never remove stress entirely, we can find ways to remove pieces of it or manage it better.”
Electrolytes
A more health-forward society has caused a wide awareness of electrolytes and the necessity they are for the body. Jae Pak MD Medical is a business providing top-rated Los Angeles hair transplant services. Their Founder, Jae Pak, considers electrolyte consumption critical.
“Can you tell me what an electrolyte is? We see this word on the labels of sports drinks, but do you actually know what they are? In reality, this word is a bit of a marketing buzzword, but the true form of them is vastly important to your immune health. Potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium all fall in the category of electrolytes. I’d bet those words hold much more meaning than electrolyte does for you. And, they’re all good reasons to make sure you’re getting enough of them.”
Conclusion
Keeping our bodies in good health is absolutely necessary for functioning and being successful in society. Without a healthy body, even the simplest of tasks become that much harder.
By being active in trying to boost your immunity, you’re better preparing your physical self for the future. Motivational speaker and author, Denis Waitley put it best, “Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.”
