We each have a set of genes that we inherit from our parents, which play a role in our health and how likely we are to develop certain conditions. Other factors that can have a big influence on our health include things like our socioeconomic status and financial situation, which are largely out of our control.
Our genes and social situation don’t have to determine our health.
There are five key areas that affect our physical, mental, and immune health. These areas are all centered on behaviors or habits that we can change. Scientists call these “modifiable risk factors.”
First, let’s learn more about the basics of the immune system.
Immune System Basics
The innate immune system is able to determine what is and is not part of the body, and will take action when it identifies something foreign. The body responds to infection by sending out cells called neutrophils, followed by macrophages. These cells attack bacteria and viruses.
Macrophages release cytokines in response to stimuli from their environment. Cytokines are small proteins that carry information between cells and between different types of cells. The presence of cytokines triggers your immune cells to take action and go to the affected area to fight.
Cytokines play a role in activating the adaptive immune system. Your immune system uses the information it has to decide what the best way to protect your body is.
The adaptive immune system uses lymphocytes to respond to threats in two different ways. First, it sends specialized T cells to attack the specific intruder. Next, it signals for B cells to begin producing antibodies.
If you have a weakened immune system, you are more susceptible to illness. There are two ways to optimize your immune system: being ready and having a balance. An example of an imbalance within the immune system would be if it were to attack allergens or cells within the body.
5 Ways To Optimize Your Immune Health
Strand one: Diet
A healthy diet that includes plenty of plants is the foundation for good metabolic health and gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome are the trillions of microbes that live in your gut and play an important role in health, well-being, and immunity.
The relationship between diet and health has been understood for centuries, but only in recent years has extensive research been conducted to understand how what we eat affects our gut microbes and overall health, immune function, and mental wellbeing.
Strand two: Sleep
Not only does a good night’s sleep help you stay alert and active during the day, but it is also an important factor in overall health and mental well-being. One third of people don’t get enough sleep, which has a significant impact on health.
A person’s sleep habits are closely connected to their metabolic health, according to research. A number of studies have shown that sleep patterns can affect blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.
The results of our PREDICT study showed that this connection is also present in the general population.
If you don’t sleep well or have an irregular sleep schedule, you might have a less healthy response to breakfast the next morning as far as blood sugar is concerned. This could lead to short- and long-term health problems.
It is tough to get enough good quality sleep, especially if you are stressed or have small children. However, our research shows that going to bed just a little bit earlier could make a difference to your energy levels and metabolic health.
Strand three: Physical activity
It is not surprising that exercising regularly has many benefits for both physical and mental health, as there is a large amount of research that demonstrates that everyone can improve their health by being more active.
You don’t have to punish yourself with grueling workouts or long-distance races unless that’s what you enjoy.
You’ll get the most benefit from an activity if you enjoy it and make it a part of your regular routine. It doesn’t matter what the activity is, as long as it’s something you can stick with. If you make a habit of moving your body in a way that feels good and gets your heart rate up, you will still see positive effects on your health, no matter your level of fitness.
Strand four: Mental well-being and brain health
since our physical and mental health are so closely related, it’s great to see that psychological well-being is now being given more attention than it has been in the past. It is especially important to take care of our mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
aside from discovering ways to bolster your mental wellness and stress less, research has shown that keeping your brain active by doing things such as reading, playing games, or solving puzzles, may help to delay the onset of dementia.
Not only is doing things we enjoy beneficial for our mental health, but it can also help us relax and de-stress.Listening to music, crafting, and spending time in nature are all great examples of activities that can improve our mental state. Pets and gardening can help improve your health by increasing the diversity of beneficial microbes in your gut.
This meta-analysis looked at studies over the span of 30 years in order to discern a relationship between stress and immunity. The researchers found that stress can actually improve the immune system by looking at 18,941 total participants. Your body’s immune system kicks into high gear when you are preparing to fight or flee from a situation. More immune cells are produced to help heal any potential wounds.
If stress is continuous, it will significantly reduce your immunity. A meta-analysis showed that people experiencing chronic stress had reduced function in both their innate and adaptive immune systems.
If you manage stress and take time for yourself, you will be less likely to get sick during cold and flu season. Some methods backed by science include:
- Yoga
- Mindfulness
- Enjoying some music
- Regular exercise
- Visiting nature
- Having a cup of tea
Strand five: Social life and health habits
The last thing this course covers is how we interact with others and how we live our lives.
Decades of research have shown that having a strong social network is linked to better health and a longer life. The health behaviors of the people around us tend to have an influence on our own behavior.
smoking is harmful to your health and can lead to serious health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and lung disease. If you are a smoker, giving up smoking is the best thing that you can do for your health.
Although moderate alcohol consumption is relatively safe for most people, excessive drinking is associated with numerous health problems.
It is vital to be familiar with your body and typical health so that you can recognize when something is not right. Staying healthy also includes getting all recommended vaccinations, including COVID shots and boosters, as well as cancer screening when invited.
There are a few things you can do to avoid catching whatever bugs are going around, especially now that we’ve gone through a global pandemic.
Washing your hands after using the bathroom and before handling food will help to reduce the spread of germs and protect you from getting sick. You can help protect others by staying home if you’re not feeling well and wearing a mask if you have to go out.
Other ways to Optimize your immune system
Ensure Vitamin D And Magnesium Are At Healthy Levels
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is working to support a healthy immune system. This molecule plays an important role in both the body’s innate and adaptive immune systems.
In the innate immune system, vitamin D regulates the production and activity of antiviral attackers like neutrophils and macrophages. It stimulates these cells to produce antimicrobial peptides in the lining of your lungs, noses, and respiratory tracts. The peptides in this medication can deactivate viruses before they have a chance to attach to your cells. If you want to avoid catching a cold, make sure you have healthy levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D contributes to the adaptive immune system by regulating the production of T cells. Remember that your T cells release cytokines. Cytokines can either be inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. Vitamin D helps to fight infection by telling the body to produce more anti-inflammatory cytokines and less proinflammatory cytokines. This is why a lack of vitamin D is linked to more severe respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, when you get a cold or the flu.
Magnesium
Magnesium is important for the immune system to work properly and is necessary for the body to use Vitamin D. If you have low magnesium levels, your T cells can’t function properly and won’t be able to destroy invaders.
The immune cells release cytokines in order to provide information to the adaptive immune system about how it should respond in different situations. Low magnesium levels decrease your cytokines production. Fewer cytokines means less information for an appropriate response. If you don’t have enough magnesium, your body is more likely to make pro-inflammatory proteins instead of anti-inflammatory ones.
Vitamin D and magnesium are both important for the immune system. They are more beneficial together since magnesium activates vitamin D.
Use Immune Nutrients
If you start to feel a cold or flu coming on, try taking zinc and vitamin C to help boost your immune system.
Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in the development and function of both your innate and adaptive immune cells. It reduces oxidative stress and inflammation. If you’re zinc deficient, it means your immune system isn’t functioning properly. The good news is that you can easily reverse these effects by taking zinc supplements.
If you start taking zinc soon after you first notice cold symptoms, it can help to reduce the severity and duration of the cold. A study that looked at many different research studies on the use of zinc to treat the common cold found that it can be effective. Between 10 and 24 mg of zinc was taken daily by patients within 24 hours of experiencing cold symptoms. Patients who took zinc had shorter colds compared to those who took a placebo.
Zinc can also prevent you from getting sick. A meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of zinc administration on children aged 6.5 to 10 years old found that it may prevent certain conditions. The study found that A study found that 394 children who received between 10 and 15 mg of zinc daily for 5 to 7 months had better outcomes than those who received a placebo. Those who received zinc had fewer colds.
Zinc can help prevent or lessen the severity of a cold, so start taking it as soon as you notice symptoms. Zinc is necessary for a strong immune system.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient. Vitamin C is important for your health because it acts as an antioxidant and helps to strengthen the epithelial barrier in your gut. Vitamin C helps to support your immune system by increasing the activity of your T cells and B cells. All around, it’s an immune super supporter.
Taking vitamin C can shorten your cold. A large-scale study that looked at the effects of vitamin C on the common cold found that it could be helpful in reducing the severity and duration of cold symptoms. At doses of 200 mg or more per day, vitamin C reduced the duration of colds by an average of 8% in adults and 14% in children, compared with placebo. Furthermore, the severity of cold symptoms was reduced by about one-third in adults and one-fifth in children.
Your body can’t make vitamin C on its own. Vitamin C is essential for coping with stress, infections, travel, illness, and wound healing. The best way to take in high levels of Vitamin C is through supplements. A daily dosage of 1,000 to 2,000 mg can help shorten your cold and boost your immune system.
Small steps add up when it comes to health
It’s important to remember that this is not a place for quick fixes, trendy fads, or impossible promises. There is not a single diet or supplement that is perfect for everybody or that will guarantee avoidance of cancer or any other condition.
Complicated biological beings that we are, it is no surprise that understanding what contributes to our health and disease is equally complex.
There are some things that are known to be beneficial for health, like quitting smoking, eating plants, and being active, but there is still much unknown.
It is important to note that these various aspects of health are interconnected and support one another. But they can also impact each other. Poor sleep can lead to worse metabolic responses and a greater likelihood of unhealthy snacking for an energy boost.
The difficulty of improvement for each strand may vary depending on your circumstances and pre-existing conditions. Any positive action you take in regards to your health will improve your overall wellbeing.
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