Boost Immunity & Get Ready for Winter
Immunity and winter
The word immunity has been emphasized repeatedly during the last couple of years so much so that it has started looking like a protective umbrella that can shield you from all kinds of pathogen attacks. Immunity can be defined as the ability of the body’s immune system to recognize germs and prevent them from causing illness.
A healthy immune system is capable of defeating the germs like bacteria, viruses and parasites and at the same time protecting healthy tissues. The body produces a specific protein called antibodies to protect itself against specific disease-causing pathogens.
The immune system is made up of a complex network of organs, tissues, cells and
proteins that work together to protect the body from harmful invaders.
Winter is coming slowly and steadily, with cold and dry air and lack of sunlight that can cause lower temperatures and humid air that can be hard on your health and weaken your immunity.
It is believed that
exposure to colder weather adversely affects a person’s immune response. You
can include some winter-specific daily habits to keep your immunity strong and
stay healthy during winter.
1. Stay
hydrated
Winter is the best season to have a different kinds of warm soups, broths and warm concoctions. You can drink warm water with fresh lime juice to start your day with vitamin C intake. Since the air is dry at that time you should resolve to drink 8-10 glasses of water to stay hydrated and keep your skin healthy and hair shiny and body full of energy.
You can also
drink warm water and various types of herbal teas. Warm drinks will help you
stay warm and disease free during the winter season.
2. Be
physically active
Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise per day to build your immunity and stay active. It is safe for everyone regardless of the season but during winter try going out for walks and jogging when the sun is out or the temperature is comfortable otherwise dry cold waves can adversely impact your health.
Find out the time of day when it is best for you to work out or go
out jogging. Cold weather slows down all your body's chemical processes and forces
your body to work harder during winter, similarly, the heart works harder to
pump blood around the body during cold weather exercises and makes you burn more calories than in summer.
3. Eat healthy
There are multiple options for healthy food to keep yourself healthy and warm during winter. Whole grains like oats, green leafy vegetables, lean meats, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, and fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent to boost immunity.
Food rich in vitamin C
helps to strengthen the immune system and keep your body fit. Stay away from
high-calorie food, eating warm food, sleeping well and staying active is essential to
keep healthy in winter.
4. Stay warm.
Keeping yourself warm in winter by wearing woolen clothing, dressing in layers, staying indoors, and wearing warm socks and slippers to keep your feet warm as well. Maintain the temperature of your room at 18 to 21-degree centigrade, and have hot drinks such as stew and soup and warm food regularly.
Stay active to keep yourself warm. The best practice will be to keep
moving for your body to stay warm because in winter body takes a longer time to
warm up.
5. No place
for stress
Staying indoors with little social interaction can be very tough for you and can contribute to stress. Winter stress is related to the anxiety and depression that develops due to staying indoors and being away from friends.
To deal with the stress make an effort to increase outdoor light
exposure as sunlight will definitely cheer you up and help your skin absorb
vital vitamin D. Try to go out and meet your friends over walk sessions or when
the weather is comfortable to keep yourself happy and stress-free.
6. Boost
immunity through essential oils
Essential oils are important in boosting immunity, promoting respiratory health fighting microbes like bacteria and viruses, wound healing, and pain relief. Chamomile oil, eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil are anti-microbial and provide relief from aches and pains.
Inhalation through steam is the best way to use essential oils for flu, they can be sniffed for better sleep and destressing too.
7. Sleep
properly
Since the body regenerates itself when you are sleeping and to maintain the immune system strong and healthy, it is important to properly rest your body.
Get 6-8 hours of sleep daily to maintain your health and
productivity. To sleep comfortably maintain good sleep hygiene and keep blue
light-emitting devices out of your room.
Immunity boosters/food
You can boost your immune system during winter by adopting healthy habits as well as by immunity booster foods, as a strong immune system keeps you healthy during winter.
More than immunity booster food a healthy and
balanced diet should be preferred all the time. The immunity booster food that
can be eaten along with it can be;
1. Dark
chocolate
Dark chocolate contains iron and anti-inflammatory flavonoids that make the dark chocolate act as an antidote against icy temperature, heats you up and provides you energy to counter winters. Dark chocolate is a natural anti-cough agent, if consumed regularly, it can prevent coughing.
Theobromine,
a chemical found in cocoa blocks the cough reflex in people suffering from
colds. Eating dark chocolate can reduce the intensity and length of a cold.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric or Haldi is consumed uncooked with milk and warm water or tea to help combat flu or cold. It is used to enhance immunity and subsides cold, cough and chest congestion. Turmeric has a compound called curcumin that has anti-inflammatory properties that help in boosting immunity.
Turmeric is antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial and promotes the growth of
healthy bacteria in the gut. It is taken to boost immunity in multiple ways, like
boiling raw turmeric with milk and drinking it hot wards of common cold and
flu, boiling turmeric with a teaspoon of ghee and taken first thing in the morning,
it provides immunity and helps a clear dry cough.
3. Oily fish
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna as a portion of food contains omega-3 fatty acids which help enhance immune function. Omega 3 fatty acids increase airflow and protect the lungs from cold and respiratory infections.
Omega-3 fatty acids increase the production of white blood cells
which engulfs the pathogens invading the body. Fish also contain immune-supporting micro-nutrient like vitamin D to help support immunity.
4. Green leafy
vegetables,
Winter season brings people to discuss immunity boosters and green vegetables like broccoli, fenugreek, kale and spinach have high nutritional values and great tastes. They can be eaten raw or can be made into dishes like salads, patties, smoothies or cooked vegetables.
They are a good
source of vitamin A and vitamin C which supports bone marrow production and
immune function. Green vegetables are also a great source of dietary nitrates
that has an anti-inflammatory function that helps in regulating the immune system.
5. Dry fruits
and nuts
Dry fruits and nuts are stapled winter food for everyone as besides acting as a go-to snack in winter it is a good source of polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Nuts like peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, chia seeds, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds are abundant sources of protein, fiber, vitamin A and minerals like zinc, iron and magnesium and they are good sources of healthy fats and antioxidants.
Peanuts combat hair loss due to the presence of amino acids and balance cholesterol and sugar levels. Walnuts slow down aging and increase memory efficiency, almonds cure cough and cold in winter, and hazelnut is great for cancer prevention and relieves fatigue and poor appetite.
Pistachios prevent skin aging and the presence of carotenoids makes them effective for eye treatment. Cashews are a good source of vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids and have anti-aging properties.
Sesame seeds control blood pressure and raises
immunity and keep the body warm during winter. In short, all nuts contribute to
health and raise immunity during winter.
6. Ginger and
garlic
Ginger and garlic are wonder foods for winter and are completely indispensable due to their beneficial properties. Ginger and garlic together keep us warm and strengthen our immunity all winter.
While ginger is strong
digestive and garlic are a bit oily, they kindle the digestive fire, support
proper circulation, destroy toxins and clear excess mucus. Garlic maintains
normal body temperature, supports the lung and sinuses and eliminate harmful
bacteria from the body while ginger is a clarifying agent for the body.
7. Spices,
Ginger, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, cumin seed and cardamom are potent winter spices to keep your body retaining heat throughout the season. All these spices also contribute toward metabolizing your body and burning more calories for keeping your body warm.
They are tonic for the lungs and help soothe respiratory problems and keep the body warm. They can be added to herbal tea,
hot milk in powdered form or simply boiled with water to drink during the day
when there is extremely cold weather.
8. Citrus
fruits.
Citrus fruits squeeze extra fiber, potassium and vitamin C into your winter routine provide immunity and keep infections at bay. You need these immunity boosters to ward off colds and flu. Winter fatigue can be dealt with by iron absorption aided by citrus fruits.
Citrus fruits reduce the risk of
cancer, boost immunity and provide vitality to the body during the winter season. Citrus
fruits like oranges, lemon, grapefruit and keno provide an abundant quantity of
vitamin C and besides enhancing your immunity also keep your skin fresh and
moist, keep your lips safe from drying and pathogens away.
Why immunity is important?
The importance of immunity lies in the protection it provides the body to keep itself safe, secure and healthy from pathogenic organisms. If your body is like a grand fortress then the immune system is like the guards that are keeping a watch on it and at the same time defending it from the enemies, which are none other than infectious pathogens.
Your immune system acts as the body’s first line of defense. We are born with some type of immunity and we develop our immune system gradually by the physical barriers such as your skin, stomach acid, and mucosal lining present in the respiratory tract. So the tears, saliva, sweat, and mucus that the skin produces and the mucous lining are all part of the physical barrier. All these prevent harmful materials from entering our bodies.
Every person wants to live his life happily and want to possess good health, immunity is the ultimate power to live and enjoy the bliss of life, so, take the strides towards acquiring good health through immunity.
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