With the threat of coronavirus, we’re in grave danger despite having immune system in our body. It is difficult to prevent viruses and germs to enter our body when we’re at a vulnerable state.

You want to strengthen our body defense but you may wonder how it is done. You can find a lot of health care products claiming to have the effects of strengthening your immune system in cosmetic stores, duty-free stores and malls. However, their labels are often ambiguous and lack scientific support. So the question is, should we consume these products or not?

First of all, the body's immune system is a complete structure which needs balance and coordination. Having just one strong feature does not guarantee anything. Remember that there are many different types of cells in the immune system, each with different functions. Which ones should we strengthen and to what extend? Also, by increasing the number of immune cells, are we enhancing the power of these cells? These things are more complicated than we can possibly imagine, so far there are no scientific explanation.

Age, exercise, diet, and sleep are all factors that affect our immune system. As we grow older, our thymus shrinks, bone marrow function becomes less efficient, and the overall ability of the immune system gradually deteriorates, making our body more susceptible to infection, and even easier to develop cancer cells. So, what are some ways to enhance our immune system?

First of all, you can change these few bad habits!

• Not eating vegetables

Living in Taiwan, many people consider themselves to be over nourished, yet from the perspective of some micronutrients, some people do not get enough vitamins or minerals. Many animal studies have found that lack of zinc, iron, copper, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin B6, or vitamin C, etc., may change the immune response of animals. But to what extent does a lack of a single trace element affect our overall immune system? The current research results have not brought about a conclusion, but what we can do so far is to review the content of our diet. If you are a picky carnivore who hardly eat vegetables and fruits without changing your diet, you may lack the necessary vitamins and minerals. It is best to adopt a Mediterranean diet and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. The vitamins and minerals that you consume from real food are better than the supplements you gain from multivitamins. After all, natural food is the best source for nutrients.

• Not exercising

If a person does not have the habit of exercising, then the first few days of exercising may cause the person to feel extremely tired. Yet if the person continues to exercise and maintains a regular habit, then they will find themselves much more energetic, and some minor pains may go away. Exercise can improve the secretion of hormones in our body, and also make people sleep better, strengthening our immune system. However, don't become a fitness fanatic all of a sudden. Regular exercise can improve immunity, but excessive-fitness may bring counter-effects.

• Not getting enough rest

You may have discovered in the past that if you become very busy and need to work overtime, you will likely develop cold-like symptoms after staying up late many days in a row. In fact, not having enough sleep or experiencing poor sleep quality can cause definite stress on the body, and may easily cause inflammation. Therefore, if you’re an adult, try to sleep for 7 to 8 hours!

Another factor that can worsen the body is too much stress. Stress is hard to quantify, and every person’s reaction to the same thing is different. When walking outside on a snowy day, Person A may be moved by the beautiful scenery, which will lighten A’s mood, but person B may feel too cold and therefore stressful, which leads to B having a bad mood. In addition, chronic stress factors, such as poor relationships with family members, partners, friends, or co-workers can easily affect one’s immunity in the long term. Therefore, to understand the harm caused by these stress, try to relief yourself of these chronic stresses by changing behaviors, doing yoga, meditation, deep breathing, etc., or find peace during stressful times.

• Smoking

This is a topic that doctors have always been talking about. Smoking can only bring harm to your body, including the weakening of your immune system. So if you’re hoping to improve your immunity, please quit smoking as soon as possible.

After changing those bad habits, let’s take a look at the positive version.

Healthy Lifestyle Manual

The following are some guidelines for living a healthy lifestyle, follow them and you’ll have a healthier life and stronger immune system.

• Consume lots of fruits and vegetables
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain and healthy weight
• If you drink, avoid excessive alcohol use
• Get enough sleep
• Wash hands regularly, and consume boiled food and water.
• Reduce stress
• Take necessary vaccines. If you are over the age of 65, do remember to take the flu vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine. Vaccination can significantly reduce the symptoms or number of death caused by these infections. Hurry up and take the flu vaccine!

【本文由「照護線上」授權轉載，原文出處：想提高免疫力，先改正幾個壞習慣！】

*「照護線上」連結至https://www.careonline.com.tw

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