The ongoing pandemic has taught us a lot about life, especially to appreciate the things we currently have and not to take it for granted. This includes our health and our natural defense system, known as immunity. While there are a number of ways you can help maintain a strong defense in order to keep infections from bacteria and viruses at bay, these are essential and practical habits that you can implement in your daily life. Read on!
Give your body enough rest
Sleep serves a very important function for the body. It is the time when your body disposes toxins, renews cells, as well as replenishes your energy. That is why, disrupted sleep during the night may cause you to feel groggy and tired the day after. Studies have also shown that most people who have a lack of sleep tend to be more susceptible to viral and bacterial attacks, and they tend to recover more slowly from ilnesses compared to those who get enough sleep. Experts recommend to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night, and ideally around 8-9 hours.
Reduce consumption of processed foods
Eating too much of processed foods, like instant foods, snacks, and sweets can gradually weaken your immunity. While the effects are not instantly seen, processed foods may tend to create an imbalance in your gut flora, which reduces the amount of good bacteria and increase the population of bad bacteria. This can lead to lowered immunity, as the gut and immune system are closely linked. The solution to this matter is to consume more nutrient-rich foods. The ones that are natural are obviously recommended, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, eggs, and certain dairy products. These foods contain essential vitamins and minerals that can help the body replenish its building blocks, in order to develop a better immune system.
Curb smoking and drinking habits
These popular yet unhealthy habits are very hard to get rid of once you're hooked in. Especially nowadays during this pandemic, where feelings of anxiety, isolation, or just plain boredom strike more often than usual. However, this time can also be the right moment to reduce your alcohol consumption and cut back on smoking. While drinking once in a while may cause no significant effects to your body, some studies have shown that excess alcohol consumption may burden your liver and also suppress your immunity. Same goes for smoking, as the use of tobacco may alter immune response in the long run.
Get physically active
As more and more people do most of their work and errands from the comfort of their own home, getting yourself to be physically active is also becoming increasingly difficult compared to pre-pandemic times. However, physical exercise has become an essential step in building immunity. That is why more and more people have take up jogging, running, cycling, and other sports during this time. If you don't have too much time to spend or simply not used to exercise, you can also do various physical exercises that don't necessarily mean doing a sport. Cleaning the room, doing various housework, or even walking your dog can be considered physical activities and not keeping you in a sedentary manner.
Consume necessary supplements
As previously mentioned, consuming nutritious foods is very important to maintain health and boost immunity. However, certain supplements can also be consumed alongside your healthy diet in order to aid in certain nutrients and benefits. Natural supplements, such as those that are produced from herb extracts, are most likely to be safe and pose very minimal side effects. Herbamojo, a supplement that is exclusively concocted for adult males, has many benefits including improving overall energy, as well as building immunity.