Improving Your Lifestyle to Boost Your Immune System Against COVID-19

In the unprecedented circumstances of the 21st century, when the world has come to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have become more careful than ever about the behaviors that affect our physical, emotional, and mental health.

As we enter 2021, looking back on the past year from a positive perspective, perhaps we've begun to pay more attention and consideration to ourselves and the people around us in this "nose era." For example, we've become more interested in strengthening our immune systems, and when we find foods or supplements that are good for boosting our immune systems, we not only buy them for ourselves, but also recommend them to family and friends or give them as gifts. This has perhaps given us a chance to rethink the consideration and thoughtfulness we took for granted before the "nose era."

In these uncertain times, a vast amount of uncertain and incomplete information has been pouring out, both online and offline, through the internet, social media, and news articles. The term "infodemic" has even been coined, so I imagine you're all tired of being exposed to this unreliable information every day. Furthermore, in modern human history, only one virus has been completely eradicated: smallpox. Therefore, research into vaccines for COVID-19 and other variant viruses is expected to continue for years, if not decades, to come.

Therefore, in this protracted 'coronavirus era', I would like to introduce five simple but essential things to keep in mind to protect your health and immunity by preventing weakened immunity.

Drink plenty of water

Source: https://www.ishn.com/articles/108365-hydration-prevents-acute-chronichealth-conditions

Drinking enough water on a regular basis has a huge positive impact on your health. But how exactly does water intake directly affect our immune system?

First of all, regular hydration habits are not only beneficial for supplying oxygen to the entire body, but also help all of our body's systems function normally.

Additionally, sufficient water intake promotes detoxification, a process in which unnecessary waste products (especially water-soluble vitamins such as B6, B12, and C) are excreted from our bodies through urine, sweat, etc. Therefore, water intake is extremely important in maintaining the health of our body's cells by activating detoxification.

For those who find it difficult to drink enough water, we recommend drinking warm tea or soup along with your meal. This will greatly help you feel more comfortable.

Get enough sleep, rest, and rest

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/getting-enough-sleep.html

In a busy work environment, adequate sleep and rest may seem like a luxury. However, it's important to understand your body's limitations. If your body truly needs rest, listen to it, if possible, and rest until you feel sufficiently rested. Seven to eight hours of sleep is crucial for maintaining and rebuilding our immune systems.

When we sleep at night, our bodies work tirelessly to maintain brain health, ultimately helping the rest of our bodies function. The benefits of the synapses in our brains help our bodies function normally the next day and navigate daily life.

Stress relief and physical fitness management

If you have trouble falling asleep when you lie down in bed, you may need to focus on managing your stress. Neglecting our mental health can significantly compromise our immune system. Our mental and emotional health plays a crucial role in maintaining our physical health and immune system.

What exactly is stress? Stress is a brain response that requires us to expend physical, mental, and emotional energy.

When we're stressed, our brain triggers a "fight or flight" response by secreting a stress hormone called cortisol. When cortisol is released, our bodies inevitably shut down and respond in an attempt to survive. Most of our body's energy isn't expended on combating these stress hormones, but rather on ensuring our bodily systems function normally.

In fact, the secretion of these stress hormones can be beneficial when we are in a truly dangerous situation. However, if we live with constant stress, it causes our body to secrete excessive cortisol. However, it is inevitable that we experience stress in our daily lives. We cannot be free from stress, but some argue that small amounts of stress from time to time are healthy. However, what we must not overlook is how we manage 'stressors' autonomously and efficiently in a way that suits us individually. The important thing is to try various methods to prevent stress from having excessive negative effects on our bodies.

A joint study by One Poll and One A Day in the US found that taking time to fully immerse yourself in activities like deep breathing, taking a half-bath, cleaning, and writing are effective stress management techniques. Of course, as mentioned earlier, each person has their own unique method.

Cut down on alcohol and coffee

Source: https://sprudge.com/new-contributor-alex-negranza-on-the-thoroughly-modern-coffeecocktail-32255.h

When we discuss immune health, we must consider not only how food can support our health, but also our lifestyle habits. Coffee and alcohol have become ingrained in many modern lifestyles. Therefore, it's important to understand precisely how caffeine and alcohol react to our individual bodies.

For example, if you drink coffee while you're already stressed, caffeine can actually exacerbate stress and anxiety. It also amplifies cortisol secretion, unnecessarily triggering the aforementioned "fight-or-flight" response.

In conclusion, if you are under any level of emotional or physical stress, you should avoid excessive drinking and coffee consumption.

Steady low-intensity exercise

Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-exercise-safely-intermittent-fasting

Consistent, low-intensity exercise is beneficial for both mental and physical health. Even short bursts of exercise are a key component of maintaining a healthy immune system.

Twenty minutes of low-intensity exercise is enough to stimulate our immune system. Therefore, it is highly effective in preventing a weakened immune system because it has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known to be very beneficial for the skin, which is responsible for detoxification, the most important part of our body.

With indoor and outdoor sports facilities operating with limited capacity, maintaining a consistent exercise routine can be challenging. Light stretching exercises to stimulate the lymphatic system are also a good option.

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[1] Refer to the health blog (Nutrition Stripped)