Due to the impact that COVID-19 is having, there is a lot of talk about how to strengthen the immune system.
Actually, we are born with a very good immune system, which thanks to the
Breastfeeding and exposing ourselves to dirt during our childhood, is getting in shape.
So we are going to explain some guidelines that will help us to maintain and even recover (if it is damaged or out of shape) our immune system and have better health and resistance to infections and diseases:
How to strengthen the immune system
Sleep and rest
Our immune system is linked to circadian rhythms, and they vary according to the day. When there are many mismatches in this link, it begins to damage our immune system.
Lack of sleep also negatively impacts your functioning and increases the risk of infection.
Therefore it is very important not to lose the sleep routine. Try to go to bed early, and get up in the first light of day, to regain pace with the circadian rhythm.
Vitamins and minerals
Another fundamental leg to keep our immune system in shape is to provide it with foods with a high nutritional density, that is, that contains many micronutrients. To achieve this, the easiest way is to consume fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, legumes, vegetables, and nuts.
Preferably we will consume quality food, as little processed as possible since during the processing the nutritional quality of the food is lost.
The main vitamins and minerals and some of their main sources are detailed below:
Calcium: Dairy, almonds, chickpeas, broccoli, kale, canned sardines.
Magnesium: Spinach, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, quinoa, dark chocolate (> 75%).
Potassium: Banana, red meat, salmon, sardines.
Selenium: Brazil nuts, pork, and lamb, eggs.
Zinc: Nuts, eggs, legumes.
Vitamin A: Eggs, pork and beef livers, butter, milk, and cheese.
For Vitamin B12: Eggs, meats, seafood.
Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers, asparagus.
For Vitamin D: Although it can be achieved by consuming fish or supplements, our preference will be daily sun exposure.
Vitamin E: Butter, egg, spinach, chard, turnip greens, asparagus.
Vitamin K: Cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, purse-seine liver, potatoes, tomato, tuna, cashews, walnuts.
Physical exercise
The latest epidemiological studies show that regular physical activity reduces the impact of infections and non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, due to an improvement in the powers of the immune system.
In addition, exercising allows us a younger immune system compared to those who do not engage in physical activity.
Chronic stress and cortisol
The stress, and especially chronic, have a negative impact on the functionality of our immune system and makes us more susceptible to diseases.
The effect is likely to be greater in diseases involving excessive inflammation, as white blood cells are subjected to a continuous flow of cortisol due to chronic stress.
Manage stress through reading, meditation, sports, etc. It can help us in reducing cortisol levels.
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