5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System During COVID-19 Era

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While Covid-19 has been around for quite some time, the threat of the coronavirus is far from over. It makes sense that people look for ways to protect themselves from this virus, beyond the obvious measure of social distancing. One of the best ways you can prepare yourself for the threat of Covid-19 is by improving your immune system.

Many people mistakenly feel that their only hope is the prospect of a new vaccine. However, there are options to cope with health issues. A robust immune system is still the best way to fight diseases, including Covid-19. There are various ways you can promote the functioning of your immune system and reduce the threats posed by this potentially deadly virus.

1. Regularly Wash Your Hands

“Wash your hands regularly.” You hear this advice everywhere right now, and truthfully, it should already be the standard. It is crucial to wash your hands, as this is the best way to prevent the disease from spreading. It works, and for that reason, doctors around the world emphasize this important tip.

The recommendation is to wash your hand at crucial times, like before you eat or after using the toilet. Now that Covid-19 pandemic is prevalent, it’s even more important to wash your hands regularly. As well as after eating or touching dirty things, it is crucial to wash your hands whenever you go out and come in to contact with public items.

2. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

If washing hands has an indirect effect on your immune system, the food you consume has a more direct impact. Eating fruits and veggies will help you enhance your ability to function and flourish. The key is to have a more diverse but balanced diet, which will result in a healthier, stronger you.

When it comes to strengthening the immune system, the best foods are those rich in Vitamin C, E and beta carotenes. These foods are known to boost your body’s ability to counter infection. For the goal of better immunity against Covid-19, the ideal ratio for your plate is 50% fruits and veggies, 25% protein and 25% whole grains

3. Take the Time to Exercise

You must already know that besides eating healthy food, you need to keep your body moving. A moderate amount of exercise will boost your immune system. But what constitutes regular exercise, though? As the people ages, the body needs 150 minutes of moderate activity or 70 minutes of vigorous activity.

The result of this exercise is that your body can have an increased immune response. However, do remember that frequent intense exercise can have the opposite effect. What’s important is not to sit all the time. Exercising doesn’t you have to hit the gym. Even just a walk in the morning or evening is enough to give a slight boost to your immune system.

4. Avoid Stress

With continued Covid-19 restrictions such as social distancing, you might start feeling isolated and lonely. These two emotions accelerate stress and anxiety. When you are stressed you may find yourself resorting to unhealthy behaviors such as drinking alcohol and smoking. These activities wreak havoc on your immune response.

Stress also has a direct impact on your immune system. Your body starts to produce hormones called cortisol, the moment you are in a stressful situation. These hormones lessen the ability of your immune system to fight off infection by lowering the amount of lymphocytes in the blood.

5. Get Quality Sleep

Covid-19 is the perfect time for you to start getting your much needed 7 to 8 hours of sleep. If you can get quality sleep on top of healthy food and exercise, your body will have improved cytokine production. Cytokine is a type of protein that assists the body in fighting off infection and inflammation.

Sleep deprivation means decreased cytokine production, which equals a high risk of getting sick. It has become even more challenging these days to get better sleep for various reasons. One trick is to stop using your phone 30 minutes before sleeping. Instead, have a chat with a family, play games with them, do some yoga, or read a book before bedtime.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus, the media has been making social distancing, washing hands, and sanitizing as the only solution to protect ourselves from Covid-19. However, keeping the immune system in the sweet spot is another vital measure that many people are unaware of. The best way to strengthen your immune system is by embracing both nutritional tips and behavioral advice discussed in this article.

Do you have suggestions or comments? Please share your thoughts on this article in the comment box below. 

Elisha Philip

Elisha is a qualified freelance writer for hire with 6-years’ experience in blogging, web content creation and blog posts writing. He’s currently interested in teaching people how to make money online, and writing articles on health, business, food, travel, lifestyle and technology.  

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