By Abby Young-Powell
Covid-19 has prompted many of us to take more responsibility for our health. Unsurprisingly, online searches for ‘how to boost your immune system’ have rocketed during the pandemic.
Here’s what the experts had to say:
Eat a balanced diet
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is one of the best things you can do. Foods rich in fiber, such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, along with fermented foods, like kombucha and kimchi, are great for your gut and your immune system.
Eat foods rich in vitamin C and zinc
Some vitamins are especially helpful. Vitamin C is one of them. Many people just think of oranges, but actually, you can find vitamin C in peppers, parsley, spinach, kale, broccoli, and citrus fruits. It can be found in beans, shellfish, and oysters and also in spices such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, and oregano.
Take care of your gut
70 percent of the immune system is located in the gut. Things like sweeteners and refined sugars are not good for it.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is another major player in fighting off infection. It’s probably the biggest thing that’s overlooked when it comes to immunity. Sleep is absolutely essential for DNA repair and for allowing the immune system to relax.
Take a vitamin D supplement
Vitamin D plays a role in our immune response. And while most experts recommend a healthy diet over a large number of supplements, they make an exception for vitamin D, especially in sunshine-deprived countries.
Exercise
Exercising regularly boosts blood supply and improves circulation. At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity is recommended.
Meditation and Yoga
Stress is bad for immune response, so activities that help us relax, like reading, meditation, or yoga, are helpful.
Drink lots of water
Staying hydrated makes a difference. It’s important for detoxification pathways.
Cut down on alcohol and quit the ciggies
Alcohol is not good for the gut, or immune system. Try to avoid drinking right before you go to bed. At the same time, smoking can unsettle the balance of the immune system, making it harder to fight infection.
