No one likes getting sick, yet considering all the infectious germs we encounter in our daily lives it’s bound to happen sooner or later. While everyone feels under the weather from time to time, some of us are in a constant battle with our bodies, fighting off the latest ailment before the next one comes along. It’s exhausting, debilitating and detrimental to our long-term health and well-being, but what can be done?
If you’re someone who gets sick a lot, you may have a low immune system. Here are five simple ways to boost your immunity and get healthy for good.
Get More Sleep
It’s no secret that sleep is the body’s best healer, but how many of us can honestly say we get enough of it? Stress, lack of exercise and poor diet can all contribute to sleep problems, along with many other health conditions, so it’s worth seeing a doctor to determine the cause of your insomnia before trying to improve your sleep patterns. However, following a nightly routine, switching off screens and electronics an hour before bed and going to bed at the same time each night can all make a big difference to your sleep.
Adopt a Healthy Diet
Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and protein sources all provide the body with essential nutrients to support immune function, but many of us are too busy or exhausted to think about what we eat. If you’re struggling to follow a healthy diet, consider signing up for an approved diet program like SANE Solution. SANE Solution is backed up by science and recommended by doctors, so it’s a healthy and effective program to follow if you want to boost your immunity and lose weight. For more information, click here.
Reduce Stress
Not only is stress bad for our mental and emotional health, but it also increases the hormone cortisol in the blood. Prolonged elevation of cortisol can suppress immune function and make you more susceptible to illness and infection, so it’s important to try and manage stress by balancing work with relaxation. If you can’t change the circumstances you find stressful (a predicament many of us find ourselves in), then try learning new ways to manage stress, such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing or running. If stress is an ongoing problem, see your doctor for advice and support.
Spend Time Outdoors
Exposure to sunlight triggers production of vitamin D in the skin, which helps the body fight off infection, so it’s important to get outside as much as you can. Whether you are playing a game of golf, going on a walk, or cleaning up the yard you will be getting vitamin D and a bit of fun exercise as an added bonus. If you live in a country that doesn’t get much sunlight, try boosting your intake of dairy products, fatty fish, and oranges. You should also take a vitamin D supplement, as it’s difficult to get your optimum level from food alone.
Take Supplements
If you lead a relatively healthy life and you’re still getting sick a lot, consider taking supplements to boost your immunity. Probiotics have been shown to fend off respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, while immune-supportive herbs like American ginseng, astragalus and eleuthero can help fight anemia, stress and recurring infections.