Having a good immune system helps your body in defending itself from harmful diseases or pathogens. A good immune system helps in fighting the harmful disease-causing organisms. Boosting your immunity may be easier said than done, but on taking a proper diet and practicing good lifestyle habits, you can strengthen your body’s natural defenses to fight any type of illness.

Before jumping to the tips to boost your immune system, let us discuss the signs of a weak immune system.

Signs that you have a weak immune system

If you feel like you are always sick or having symptoms that you can’t figure out, check these signs so you know you have a weak immune system and what you can do to get a healthy immune system.

1 .You often have a cold:

It is normal to have a cold for 2-3 times a year. Usually, it takes about 4-5 days for adults to develop antibodies to fight the cold. But, if you often catch a cold, it is a sign of a weak immune system.

2. Your wounds heal slowly:

Whenever you get hurt physically, your body sends out blood with rich nutrients to the injury, which helps in healing the wound and regenerate new skin.

3 .You often have an upset stomach:

According to research, about 70% of your immune system is present in your digestive system. So, if you have gas, diarrhea, constipation, or gas frequently, it is a clear sign of a weak immunity system.

4 .You get tired easily:

If you get tired easily after doing a run or a chore, and if you feel exhausted even after getting enough sleep, it means your energy level is low, and your body’s immune system is weak.

5. You take a lot of stress:

If you are someone who feels stressed easily or takes a lot of stress, it affects your immune system as long-term stress weakens your immune system’s response. This happens because the white blood cells or lymphocytes in your body decrease when you take the stress. The more these cells decrease, the more your body prone to catching a cold or virus.

6. You have frequent infections:

If your body is easily prone to infections, it is a big sign of immune deficiency. Some of the symptoms include getting more than four ear infections in a year, having pneumonia twice in a year, and/or needing two or more antibiotics courses in a year.

Now that we have discussed the signs of a weak immune system let us give you a few healthy tips to boost your immune system.

Best tips to boost your immune system

Limit your consumption of added sugars.

Added sugar in your food can contribute to gaining weight and obesity. Obesity increases the risk of getting a lot of harmful diseases. People with obesity tend to be more likely to get the virus or flu than those without obesity who have recieved the vaccine.

If you control your sugar intake, it will help you in losing your weight, thus reducing the risk of severe diseases like heart diseases and type-2 diabetes. Make sure your sugar intake is less than 5% of your daily calories, i.e., 25 grams of sugar. This may vary from person to person according to the number of calorie-diet they are on.

Exercise regularly.

If you exercise regularly and moderately, it reduces inflammation. Moderate exercises can give your immune system a boost. Some examples of moderate exercises are jogging, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, squatting, etc.. Make sure to exercise at least 3-4 days a week.

Stay hydrated.

Although staying hydrated does not protect you from germs or viruses, it is very important for your overall health. Dehydration can lead to headaches, bad mood, low energy levels, lost focus, digestion problems, and kidney dysfunctions. These problems can cause illness.

To prevent from getting dehydrated, drink at least 8 liters of water every day. Water is preferred over other fluids as it is free of calories, sugar, and other additives compared to tea or fruit juice.

You may also need to drink more water if you are someone who exercises regularly or lives in a hot climate.

Get enough sleep.

According to research, people with poor quality or inadequate sleep are more likely to fall sick. Getting enough sleep means getting enough rest, and getting enough rest makes your immunity strong.

This is also why sick people sleep more as it allows the immune system to fight the illness better. So, make sure to get more than 6-7 hours of sleep every night if you are an adult and 8-10 hours of sleep if you are a teen and 14 hours for infants.

In case you are having trouble sleeping at night, you should try different night routines like limiting your screen time an hour before going to bed, sleeping in a dark room, reading a book before going to bed, exercising regularly, and going to bed at the same time every night.

Eat more healthy fats.

Eating healthy fats boosts your immune system by reducing inflammation. Examples of some healthy fats that you can eat are

• Olive oils in
• Omega 3 fatty acids found in salmon and chia seeds

These can help you decrease the risk of heart diseases, type-2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. These also have anti-inflammatory properties that help in fighting harmful illness-causing bacteria and viruses.

Do not stress a lot.

Taking a lot of stress can cause an imbalance in immune cell functions and increases inflammation. Relieving anxiety and stress is the key to immune health. To reduce or manage your stress, you should start doing activities like exercise, meditation, yoga, journaling, colouring, painting, and other calming activities.

You can also consider visiting a certified and licensed therapist or counselor.