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Martha Minniti

Facts (and Myths) About Boosting Your Immune System

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immune system

It is vital to keep ourselves healthy. Check out these strategies that can help you boost your immune system.

Our immune system must be fully functioning to help us prevent viruses from infecting us. 

Experts say that we need to boost our immune system by eating healthy food and a correct balanced diet. It includes the consumption of plenty of fruits and vegetables. 

Take note that in enhancing your immune system, it is not necessary to buy supplements and vitamins in a rush. Since there is no such proof that these products can help in boosting your immune system based on health experts and professionals’ advice. They recommend that we need to go to a more natural way and proven approaches instead.

Here are some of the proven approaches based on health experts and professionals:

Maintain a Low Level of Stress. 

It is given that stress can affect your health. If you think and stress yourself about the virus, the more you are going to suffer from stress. According to one of Johns Hopkins University’s assistant professor of infectious disease – Morgan Katz, that stress can undoubtedly affect or hurt your immune system. He added not to panic and try to minimize stress.

Another health expert from One Medical – primary-care providers (a nationwide network), Andrew Diamond – Chief Medical Officer added that stress hormone cortisol turns off or shuts down cells in our immune system. Thus, he recommends people to engage in relaxing activities like meditation.

Exercise

Based on Dr. Diamond, in lowering the cortisol levels naturally and help the immune system to function well is through low and moderate-intensity exercise. They recommend at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. 

Take a walk or run outside if you are worried about the germs in the gym.

However, you have to keep in mind not to over-exercise. Based on a recent study on high-performance athletes found that they have an increased risk of infection, as per the medical director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine – Elizabeth Bradley.

She added that exercise could help in boosting the immune system, but we have to be careful since over-exercise can weaken the immune system as well.

Enough Sleep

It is crucial to get enough sleep. Adults are required to have at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. While children should get more hours of sleep, depending on how old they are.

Vaccines

It is also a great way to prevent the virus from easily infecting you if you have up-to-date vaccines. Most importantly, these vaccines are the flu vaccine. Though, it does not that meant for coronavirus, but it can help to strengthen your immune system.

Yogurt

Yes, and you have to eat plenty of it every day. As Dr. Katz says, that yogurt is an easy way to boost your body’s probiotics and it helps in supporting your microbiome. Dr. Katz added that yogurt supports good bacteria in our body that help fight bad bacteria or viruses.

Avoid Antibiotics

Dr. Katz suggests as well that we have to avoid taking antibiotics unless it is necessary. Antibiotics can destroy good bacteria in our bodies and leaving us more vulnerable to infections and viruses.

Consider These Foods

Dr. Bradley says that these foods can also help in supporting the microbiome in our body. These are onion, sauerkraut, garlic, ginger, and fermented foods.

Diet

You need to look out for your diet, choose a healthy, balanced diet. Thus, this includes plenty of fruits and vegetables which you can get enough Vitamin D and Zinc, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Health experts say that having this diet, you can get enough vitamins and minerals and you don’t need other supplements. However, experts do recommend supplementation if you have a low level of vitamin D. Since Vitamin D is relatively common in terms of deficiency.

Dr. Bradley added and recommended that we need to consume plenty of dark green, leafy vegetables. It also includes eating berries, nuts, and seeds as well. Thus, minimize consuming food with sugar and trans fat – these are not as nutrient-dense foods.

Stop Vaping or Smoking

People who have respiratory disease, and those who are smoking are more prone to severe illness. They have a higher rate of getting complications of coronavirus. As Dr. Diamond says, “Anything that is challenging to your lungs is going to work in the wrong direction.”

It is really important to take these strategies seriously. Thus, this is to help in strengthening and boosting our immune system. It needs fuel to help our body prevent viruses from coming in. As experts say, avoid ultralow-carbohydrate diets. You need to drink plenty of water and minimize alcohol consumption. Alcohol can disrupt your sleep.

How to Strengthen Your Immune System

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immune system

We all know that our immune system is the only shield that can help us fight infections and viruses. It is our body’s protector to keep our health in good hands.

Given today’s global crisis, the world is experiencing global pandemic that keeps people lockdown in every home. The new type of coronavirus has attacked us again, from a single country that spreads dramatically to almost every corner of the world. Not only affecting the whole countries’ economy but also each person’s health and well-being, worst is, it took almost everybody’s lives.

As this pandemic spreads, safety precautionary measures and advice are popping out on the internet, helping and teaching people how to protect their health and well-being.

However, as we tend to keep on researching on every topic on the web, not all information we see and read are true.

We have here advice that can help you boost your immune system. It may not be a 100% effective all the time, at least it can help you strengthen your immune system in preventing the viruses and infections from getting worse.

So, How Can You Strengthen Your Immune System The Natural Way?

  1. Stress Management and Have Enough Sleep

At this moment, we cannot avoid thinking and stressing ourselves. It is given that this pandemic gives us stress.

Almost every person cannot avoid worrying about what will happen to the future if this crisis takes longer. The first thought will be if they are still going to have a job after this. Some people have already lost theirs, as some businesses are in a skeletal force and worse – it closes. We have to think that stress affects our health, though we cannot avoid it. Yes, we know that you have families that rely on you and you are providing them, that you want to keep them safe as well.

However, it is important to control and manage your stress, especially your emotions. Negative thoughts, emotions, and stress cause negative effects on your immune system that you need to keep it to function normally.

Try to avoid watching too much television or online news. Majority of what these broadcasting companies aired are all about the present situation, which can cause additional stress to yourself. Divert your attention to positive stories and messages. Almost every country requires its people to stay at home.

Make use of this opportunity to relax and spend time with your families. You can read a book or play fun games with your loved ones. Have time to rest and get plenty of sleep, and let your mind and body rest as well.

  1. Exercise Is A Great Help

You don’t need to go to the gym to have exercise, especially this time. These establishments are closed at this very moment.

You can have your daily exercise at the comfort of your home. It can be a great help to relieve stress and beneficial to your immune system as well. You can start with simple tasks in the morning. Start your day with a glass of water and stretching.

There are plenty of exercise methods you can browse on the internet that you can do in your home. Make sure to follow the methods that suit your body needs.

  1. Eating Healthy Food

The first things that come to your mind when eating healthy food are fruits and vegetables. Yes, you are correct.

However, you have to keep in mind as well that eating the same fruit every day is not a good idea in boosting your immune system.

It is really important to eat different type of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. You have to pair your fruits with other food that have nutrients in strengthen your immune system. Release inner chef skills in preparing your food. This time around, you have no time to eat out since all establishments are closed. You can defy and combat without processed food or unhealthy fast food and drinks for a few weeks.

Boosting your immune system’s best way is to munch those fresh vegetables and fruits. If you opt to take supplements, make sure to consult your doctor first. They are just a call away.

  1. Drink Moderately (If you plan to drink)

As businesses are closing, most of them are sending their people to work from home. Thus, this does not leave temptations behind, especially if you want to have a glass of wine. You can have a glass or two when you want to have a drink, and leave some for the next day.

Drinking alcoholic beverages can increase your stress level that can affect your immune system. Too much of it will make you susceptible to illnesses.

  1. Sun Exposure

The Sun can be a great help to boost your immune system as well. We all know that you can get Vitamin D from it the natural way. You can also take supplements, though you have to check it first from the professionals.

Supplements are taken with precautionary measures as well. You must take it with the right dosages and frequency, unlike with sun exposure that you can have it naturally. Make sure to avoid public places and crowded areas, since you can get the virus in there the fastest way as well.

However, some places are not that lucky enough to get lots of Sun, and that’s where supplements take place. You can also consume food that is rich with vitamin D – you can have eggs, salmon, tuna, mushroom, cheese and beef.

You Have To Avoid These Things As Well

Since everybody is in their panic mode at this time around, they will believe anything that they can see or read online.

There are even companies that sell natural medicines and remedies to fight this virus. However, you have to make sure as well that you need to have these remedies approved by doctors.

Remember these things to help improve your immune system.

As said earlier, when you take supplements, have your doctor’s approval first. Avoid going out to crowded public places. Some stores offer online services like groceries. They have the option to deliver your goods right at your doorsteps. Of course, always remember to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Cleaning your house every day is also a great way to keep your environment clean.

Most of all, keep yourself from stressing too much. This crisis will pass just like everything else; all we need is to follow safety precautionary measures and advice.

How Does Your Immune System Work?

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immune system

How Does Your Immune System York?

Wondering how our immune system works? Well, imagine this, if a mosquito lands on your skin. As it begins to feed, it also injects its chemicals into your skin. At first, you wouldn’t feel anything that was there. Unless you only noticed that red lump on your skin, swelling, and itching. This sign is already a reaction of our body fighting the chemicals, and the mosquito left when it bit you. Thus, this is how our immune system protects us against illnesses, infections, and even diseases.

Our body’s defenses coordinate with our immune system to fight against any foreign particles or threats that can affect our health. It would be easier for these threats such as toxins, bacteria, and viruses to penetrate if our immune system is not present. Even a small paper cut or seasonal cold can lead to severity because of our body’s defense’s absence.

How The Immune System Function?

Our immune system relies on our body’s defensive white blood cells or leukocytes that our bone marrow produces. These white blood cells travel into our bloodstream and network of vessels that clear wastes and toxins in our bodies. This network of vessels is also called the lymphatic system. Our body is composed of leukocytes in every microliter of blood, which ranges between 4,000 and 11,000. These leukocytes are like security personnel in our body. They move around and screen the blood, tissues, and organs constantly for these suspicious and unwanted threats. Thus, our immune system functions when there are antigens present in the body. As soon as the white blood cells or leukocytes detect these threats or antigens, our immune response will only take minutes to kick in.

Our immune response must be equally adaptable to threats that come in our body since these threats are hugely variable or changeable. Thus, this means that our immune system produces antibodies to fight threats in different ways.

Immune System: Leukocytes and Its Groups

Our leukocytes have two main cellular-group classifications that work a two-pronged attack. The first group is the phagocytes that trigger the immune response. It works by sending the dendritic cells and macrophages in the blood to circulate. Then, they destroy any foreign particles or threats they encounter and consume them. Hence, this allows the phagocytes to identify the antigens, then send the information to the second group – the lymphocytes. When grouped, these lymphocytes are called T-cells that go in search of the infected body cells and immediately kill these threats.

On the other hand, B-cells and helper T-cells start producing antibodies using the information gathered by the phagocytes from the antigens. These remarkable antibodies produced are unique and match each antigen like a lock and key, which then the invading cells are destroyed. The B-cells can produce millions of these antibodies that go cycling throughout the body and attack the threats until all are neutralized. While these antibodies are working inside of our body, symptoms can also be visible outside. These familiar symptoms are usually swelling and high temperature due to the reactions of our body’s immune response. It would be harder for these threats to reproduce and spread with warmer body temperature. Bacteria and viruses are temperature-sensitive and do not go well with high temperatures.

Immune System’s Main Job

If there are damaged body cells, they release chemicals. Then these chemicals make the cell fluid leak into the surrounding tissues that will cause swelling. This swelling attracts the phagocytes, which will then consume the invaders and damaged cells. Normally, it would take days for the immune response to eliminate the threats in our bodies. However, this does not stop us from getting ill. Our immune response main job is to stop the threat from escalating or spreading, leading to severity.

Another good side of our immune system is its constant surveillance, which provides us long-term immunity to these threats. Thanks to our B-cells and T-cells that identify antigens and use this information in recognizing future threats. These cells will then produce the right antibodies to tackle a revisiting antigen from reproducing and spreading, preventing it from affecting other healthy cells. Thus, this is how our body develops immunity to certain diseases like chickenpox. However, this does not always apply to some.

There are people that have autoimmune diseases that trick the immune system into attacking healthy cells in the body. These autoimmune diseases are disorders that disrupt the immune system to underlying problems and varying conditions like Type I diabetes, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

A healthy immune system for most individuals will fight off successfully innumerable other potential infections and an estimated of over 200 colds in a lifetime. Thus, this is how essential our immune system is and how it works. It would be difficult for our body to fight threats and may even escalate to far more dangerous if we don’t have our immune system.

The next time you get bitten by a mosquito or catch a cold, remember our immune system. Our health and our lives rely on it.

Does Laughter Relieve Stress?

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Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke

Does laughter relieve stress? Yes, you bet it does!

Think about it, when was the last time you laughed so hard you could hardly stop?  The answer may be not so recently, however science shows that laughing not only relieves stress it also benefits our health in many ways.

So maybe you want to turn on a comedy show instead of watching a shoot em up after reading this article on the benefits of laughter and how it can help relieve stress.

According to an abstract published by the  American Physiological Society  scientific evidence supports the emotion-mind-body relationship and shows that mood, thoughts, and feelings have a profound impact on our immune system and general health.

When you laugh, it releases serotonin which is the same chemical found in most common types of antidepressants.

It’s not clear how long the effect of laughter sticks around…just think about how good you feel at least for a short time after you laugh.  

The ability to laugh easily and frequently is a great way to surmount problems, enhance your relationships both of which go a long way to improve both your physical and emotional health.

And…laughter is fun, free and pretty easy to use.

Here are 3 short term benefits of laughter:

  • Increases and releases endorphins:  When you laugh, you breathe more which in turn stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles. When you release endorphins, you naturally feel better.
  • Lowers your stress levels:  Think about it…when you laugh hard, how do you feel afterwards?  Most likely you still have a smile on your face and you feel more relaxed.  This is because it fires up and then cools your stress levels along with decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Soothe tension. That laugh also stimulates your circulation which then causes muscle relaxation which is often a physical symptom of stress.

Here are 3 longer term benefits of laughter:

  • Releases neuropeptides which benefit your immune system.  When you think negative thoughts, they can create chemical reactions in the body and end up bringing more stress into your system which decreases your immunity.  Laughter helps release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
  • Relieve your pain. When Norman Cousins was dying back in 1964 he made it a point to add laughter to his daily routine.  He said “10 minutes of laughter gave me 2 hours of pain free sleep.” Many doctors and researchers now believe that laughter can ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
  • A great way to connect with others   When you improve your mood, you feel better and attract more happiness into your life.  Laughing can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations.

Here’s a few ways you can incorporate laughter into your life

Watch funny videos:  Whether you choose tik-tok or youtube, seek out funny videos to watch daily instead of gravitating to the news…even a small dose of laughter will instantly make you feel better.

Tune into your favorite sitcom or watch a comedy show.  Take the time to retreat from the pressures of the real world, put your feet up and relax and watch something that will get you laughing.

Write in a gratitude journal.  When you start focusing on things you’re grateful for, this will raise your energy levels in a positive way and elevate your mood.

Spend time with a pet.  If you don’t have one volunteer at a shelter or visit with the pet of a friend.  If you can’t do that, find some cute dog or cat videos to watch.  This will easily bring a smile to your face and make you start releasing those feel-good hormones.

Loosen up and do something really silly.  Maybe you might have done when you were a child.

Here’s some fun ideas:

  • cartwheels
  • Skipping or jumping up and down
  • dance
  • talk in a funny accent
  • Share a silly joke with someone
  • sing really loud in the bathroom
  • embarrass yourself
  • roll down a hill, in the grass, leaves or the snow

The bottom line is that it’s good for your stress levels and your health to make it a practice to seek out more opportunities to add humor and laughter into your life.

By doing this, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.

Take a Nap to Reduce Stress and Boost Heart and Brain Health

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napping

When you’re feeling less than 100%, consider taking a nap to reduce your stress and boost heart and brain health.

In our sleep deprived world, it’s important to make sure you get enough rest.   Even more so now that we have a lot more stress going on.   It’s harder now more than ever for many of us to get a restful night’s sleep.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, naps can be categorized into three areas:

Category number one is called planned napping

Planned napping is where you actually plan nap into your day when you know that you’re going to be staying up past your bedtime.   A good example of this is if you’re going to be out later past your bedtime or maybe you may want to stay up and binge watch your favorite new show on Netflix

Category number two is called emergency napping

Emergency napping comes in handy when you find yourself tired and you just can’t keep working or continuing with the activity that you are involved with.   An example of a good time to take an emergency nap is if you find yourself super tired while driving or working on a project that requires a lot of concentration.

Or maybe you just find yourself in a funk and having a hard time getting out of it.

Category number three is called habitual napping.

Habitual napping is where you take a nap at the same time each day.   Many countries adopt this kind of napping as part of their culture.   Think of a siesta.  

Here, in the United States, habitual napping might be putting your child down for an afternoon nap or making a choice to include a nap as part of your daily routine.

According to a  recent study published in the BMJ journal where they measured 3462 subjects of a Swiss population based cohort with no previous history of heart disease and the found that subjects who nap once or twice per week have a lower risk of heart disease.

The good news is that according to the study, you do not need to take a daily nap to benefit your heart.

Other studies have also shown that taking a short nap works better than reaching for another cup of  caffeine when it comes to improving your motor skills, verbal memory, and perceptual learning.

As it turns out, even a small nap has its benefits, but its length will determine the benefits you’ll experience.

Here is what you can expect when you nap:

  • 20-minute nap: Will boost your mental alertness, memory, and motor learning skills.
  • 20 to 30-minute nap: Fires up your creativity and your memory
  • 30 to 60-minute nap: Improves up your decision-making skills and memory
  • 60 to 90-minute nap: The most beneficial nap type as it helps you get REM sleep. It helps you restart your brain, and enhances your problem-solving skills.

That 60-90 minute nap is one you want to build into your day if you are having trouble getting a full night’s sleep. 

How does napping help reduce stress?

For one thing it will boost your mood.  When you sleep, your brain uses this time to process your emotions And according to WebMD when you cut your sleep short you end up having more negative emotions and fewer positive ones.

Think of napping and sleep as helping you to reset the button especially when you’ve had a bad day because it helps you 2 process those emotions which will in turn improve your outlook and be better prepared tomorrow to meet any challenges that may arise.

So next time you feel out of sorts or not getting enough shut eye, consider napping.  It’s not only good your body, it’s good for your frame of mind!

Deep Breathing Can Help You Relieve Stress

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deep breathing

The last two decades have witnessed a surge in breathing-related interventions for pain- and anxiety-related disorders, as well as for diseases of the gut, heart, and brain. The more doctors explore breathing as a form of illness prevention and therapy, the more they turn up evidence of its importance.

In 2018 Harvard published an article about the benefits of using breathing to combat stress.

Stress is a fact of life and when we experience normal levels of stress, the stress response helps us rise to many challenges.

However, when  you experience constant stress (both low and high levels of stress) health problems can result.

A prime example is high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. Constant stress also suppresses your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and other more serious illnesses.

Continued stress can contribute to anxiety and depression.

Breathing is a way to develop healthier ways of responding to them. In the 1970s Harvard Medical School cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson developed the relaxation response.

The relaxation response is a state of rest that can be accomplished in many ways, including meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation.  Breathing is a integral part of these practices.

Slow, deep breathing seems to counteract all of these stress-triggered events and makes it possible for us to start to relax…

While a single breath is helpful research shows  that breathing at a rate of around five breaths per minute for anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes is an effective way to calm down and turn off your stress.

Next time you feel overwhelmed, find a quiet spot, practice breathing and start paying attention to your breathing.

See how your body starts to change and experiment by modifying your breathing and  how much of that can help you find more calm in your day.

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