Surprising Things that can affect your Immune System

31-03-2020   |   Posted By: Shagun Parasher   |   3952 View(s)

In these difficult times when coronavirus is on the rampage -we have been continuously talking about the fact that people with low immunity are more prone to coronavirus. Having a good level of immunity helps our body to fend off infections and diseases and is the key to staying healthy and happy. In view of the same, it becomes all the more important to ensure that we are aware of the Things that can affect your Immune System. So here we are! Let’s talk about the things which greatly affect our immunity levels.

Things that can affect your Immune System

Lack of Sleep

Lack of sleep can make you prone to catch infections through viruses or germs. This in turn may make it tougher and longer for you to get better simply because your body can’t make as many infection-fighting cells and proteins called antibodies that help to defend against illness. Your body is known to release certain proteins called cytokines, during the sleep that help the immune system

Low Vitamin D

Vitamin D is not only required to make bones stronger and Healthy but it also helps boost your immune system. Sunlight is a major source of Vitamin D.Exposure to sunlight for 5-15 minutes during summers, Two to three times a week is good enough whereas you might need a little bit more exposure during the winter months.
Eggs, Fatty Fish, Milk and cereals are also good sources of Vitamin D so keep having Vitamin D to boost your immune system and should you need to check your Vitamin D levels -Get yourself tested

Certain Medications

There are certain medications which are known to reduce your immunity. Drugs which are required to treat arthritis, allergies, lupus, IBS, and organ transplant. Corticosteroids are one example, as are TNF inhibitors for inflammation and chemotherapy for cancer.

Too Little Time Outdoors

While this is not the time to stay outdoors as the best thing to avoid Coronavirus is to stay indoors. However, Sunlight energizes special cells in your immune system called T-cells that help fight infection.
Inhaling fresh air especially in the mornings too has loads of benefits and is good for improving overall immunity of the body

Anxiety

Yes, you got it right. Anxiety does not help while it may happen naturally at times but it is an established fact that Anxiety and Stress aren’t great germ fighters. Anxious Thoughts can weaken your immune response in as little as 30 minutes. Constant stress can make things even worse and takes a toll on your body and makes it even more difficult to fend off the flu, herpes, shingles, and other viruses.

Smoking

We have constantly been warned about the ill effects of Smoking. Nicotine intake whether from cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or any other source can weaken your body’s ability to fight germs considerably. Nicotine is known to increase the cortisol levels while reducing B cell antibody formation and T cells’ response to antigens

Alcohol

Limited intake of Alcohol is considered ok but overdoing it slows down your body’s ability to fight germs for up to 24 hours and over a period of time drinking too much blunts your body’s ability to repair itself.
This is precisely the reason that you are more likely to get illnesses like liver disease, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and certain types of cancers. So next time you need to drink Alcohol, try limiting it to minimise the damages.

High-Fat Diet

Oils can hinder germ-fighting white blood cells. High-fat diets over a period of time can upset the balance of bacteria in your gut that can help immune response. It can also lead to obesity and make you more likely to get the flu and other infections ranging from the common cough and cold to pneumonia in severe cases.
A diet high in saturated fat impairs the immune system, and salt and sugar might also have negative effects
You should be looking for low-fat dairy products ideally with no added sugar and go in for healthy foods with low fat intake. Good nutrition is the key to a healthy immune system.

Too Few Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and Vegetables can help your body make more of the white blood cells which you need to fight off infections. Nuts and seeds along with Fresh produce provide a lot of zinc, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, and other nutrients which are required to keep the body healthy.
Plant-based foods are also good sources of fibre which helps lower your body fat percentage, which in turn strengthens response.

Grief

Evidence suggests that griefing especially if your sorrow lasts for a substantially long period of time can do harm to your body by suppressing your body’s immunity. So do not hesitate to talk to your doctor if you think that you cannot get over the grief or a traumatic event even after a prolonged period of time as it can adversely affect your body

Exercise

The key to staying healthy is to keep Exercising. Regular aerobic exercises help the blood to get around your body more efficiently helping your body fight illness caused by viruses and bacteria. So Lack of exercise can lead to lower immunity levels which are not at all good for your body.
However, a word of caution-Extreme levels of exercising too can be dangerous and take a toll. Too much strenuous exercise, called overtraining syndrome, can be debilitating for the body and make it more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Surprised!! Yes if you are one of the types who keep sitting too much in office or home then it’s time to get going. Avoiding exercise can affect your body’s ability to fight infection. Irrespective of gender, age a sedentary lifestyle is known to increase the risk of getting life-threatening ailments and even premature death

Loneliness

Feeling lonely could impair your immune system. It is believed that Increased anxiety associated with loneliness can lead to greater suppression of the immune system and more oxidative stress, or damage caused by free radicals. It was found that Hugging someone can have a stress-buffering effect and reduce susceptibility to illness.

Ways to Boost the Immune System Naturally & Stay Healthy This Winter!

No Sex

It is widely believed that intimacy can help boost your immunity. Sex raises the levels of a germ-fighting substance called Immunoglobulin A, or IgA. However, more of it is not always better.
Couples who had sex more than twice a week had lower levels of IgA than those who had no sex at all.

Ultraviolet Radiation

The ozone layer is being constantly being depleted because of the rising levels of certain air pollutants increasing the level of harmful UV radiation from the sun. Exposure to UV rays can lead to a higher rate of contracting infections and diseases like cataracts, weakened immune system and possibly lowering defences against skin cancer
Wearing sunglasses, protective clothing, and sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher can help reduce or minimise the effects of UV radiation.

So these are the things that can affect your Immune System and so it becomes all the more important to ensure good body immunity to ward of Infections and Diseases. Stay Healthy, Stay Happy!