Three ways to boost your immunity

There is no vaccine for coronavirus just yet, but one of our best defenses is something that we usually take for granted — our immune system. More than ever, we need to boost our immunity to prevent ourselves from catching the highly contagious bug that has been going around.

Apart from the virus, fear and anxiety have also been spreading as more and more Filipinos are feeling the very real consequences of COVID-19. This has resulted in a scramble for vitamin tablets, some of which were sold out from drugstores and pharmacies.

However, vitamin tablets aren’t actually as effective in boosting your immunity as compared to getting all the nutrients you need from a balanced diet. Most healthy people do not need to use expensive supplements. Despite social media claims that mega-doses of vitamin C can treat COVID-19, there is no evidence to back this up.

According to Dr. Jenna Macciochi, a lecturer for immunology, when it comes to maintaining good health, the immune system is our most precious asset. It is a silent wonder.

Whether or not we get sick depends on the integrity of our immune system. Dr. Macciochi shares the ways that we can help train and maintain it.

“If you are looking to strengthen your immunity, the best way is through a combined approach — by adopting these science-backed lifestyle tweaks and changes,” she shares. “They are in no way prescriptive, nor a magic bullet to health, simply a gentle nudge in a better direction.”

Dr. Macciochi advises three simple steps to improve your immune system: going organic, getting sunshine and getting enough sleep.

What you eat really plays a huge role in your body’s defense system against disease.

“Organic produce has a much more diverse bacteria population that can help, especially when eaten raw, since cooking would destroy these good bugs,” Dr. Macciochi states. “Anecdotally, I’ve heard of many benefits from consuming fermented foods and drinks like kimchi, kombucha, kefir and sauerkraut, which contain a natural synergy of many different types of yeasts and bacteria.”

Even while on enhanced community quarantine, it’s important to get as much sunshine as possible. “Sunshine is also good for immunity and can significantly improve your health,” Dr. Macciochi adds. “Sunshine is good for immunity and bad for viruses, but there are other reasons for seeking sunshine. Research suggests it makes disease-fighting cells in the skin move faster and work more efficiently. Sunlight also helps our bodies to make vitamin D.”

This vitamin plays a huge role in immunity and has been proven to protect the body against multiple sclerosis, asthma, depression, heart disease and cancer.

“The World Health Organization suggests five to 15 minutes of casual sun exposure a few times a week is more than sufficient to keep vitamin D levels topped up.”

Finally, even though you’re working or studying from home, it would help to kick those late-night habits to the curb and get enough sleep each night.

“A bad night’s sleep can be terrible for the immune system, so try and get rest,” advises Macciochi. “While more sleep won’t necessarily make us invincible, lack of sleep almost immediately tips our immune system into imbalance, simultaneously dampening parts of it and empowering others. A single night of poor sleep leads to a decrease of up to 70 percent of our natural killer cells —our first-line defense against viruses and potentially cancerous cells.

“Other research has shown that people who sleep for six hours a night or less are four times more likely to catch a cold when exposed to the virus, compared with those who spend more than seven hours a night asleep,” she concludes.

Apart from these, always keep your home and personal belongings clean. Don’t forget to regularly clean your phone. Wash your hands before and after eating, and before touching your face. If you catch COVID-19 it most likely started from your eyes, mouth and nose, so take extra precautions here.

No matter what your age or gender is, these three simple lifestyle tweaks are a great starting point to improve your chances of surviving this pandemic. Stay safe, stay alert and stay smart. We will get through this.

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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.