Put Up Your Defenses
Three ways to supercharge your immune system this
season
YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM wards
off most of the millions of germs you come in contact with every
day. So it's no wonder that every once in a while, some get
through.
Fortunately, there are steps you can
take to make your immune system perform even better. With these
three lifestyle adjustments, you will be on your way to making it
through the winter season cough- and sneeze-free.
1. Eat Your Greens
A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains has
long been linked with good health - helping people avoid heart
disease, diabetes, even cancer. So it stands to reason that eating
the right foods can affect your day-to-day health too. Nutrients
and antioxidants in vitamins and minerals are important in warding
off viruses and infections.
2. Move Your Body
Just as exercise strengthens your muscles, it also strengthens
your immune system by boosting antibody and T-cell responses,
according to Cleveland Clinic. The best news is that you don't need
much of it to benefit. Just 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking five
times or more per week is enough to get your defenses up. Plus,
exercise improves sleep and mood, which are also connected to
immunity.
3. Get a Massage
Sound too good to be true? It isn't. In fact, one of the biggest
risk factors for falling ill is stress. Regular massage therapy not
only helps alleviate stress, but also
strengthens the immune system and its cytotoxic capacity (the
activity level of the body's "natural killer" cells) and decreases
the number of T-cells, which improves the body's immune
functioning. -By Shelley Flannery