How To Boost the Immune System When You Have A Cold?

Us humans, we at least most of us, are tragically unprepared and not used to thinking ahead much. Even when we manage to create some sort of a plan for the future, we fall flat on our faces a few weeks in. 

We do this with dieting, studying, working… and, sadly, with our health as well! How many times have you told yourself “Starting tomorrow I’m going to take better care of my body”. Then tomorrow comes, and you postpone it. 

Then, later on, this comes back to bite us in the ass. This is especially true when you get sick. The moment you get sick, you start negotiating with yourself, saying “When this is over, I’m turning a new page!” 

So, if you are ready to start a new, healthier chapter in your life, here are some tips that are going to help you make it.

Become More Active

What most people think is you need to go to the gym and lift heavy weight to be considered “active” and “fit,” but this is not the case at all. Adopting an active lifestyle could mean something as simple as waking up in the morning and taking a relaxing 20-minute stroll down your neighborhood; or hopping on your bike and doing a few laps around your block.

Of course,hitting the gym is definitely not going to hurt, but you need to know that something as basic and easy as a morning stroll will have an overall positive effect on your body, your mind and your immune system.

Sleeping More

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ll find the most relaxing activity you can engage in – sleep! Even though this is a passive activity, it plays a crucial role in boosting your metabolism and ensuring you remain as healthy as you can be.

Studies have shown that, while we sleep, our body produces proteins called cytokines. Certain groups of these cytokines need to increase when the body is fighting foreign invaders such as viruses. So, if you’re not getting enough sleep, your immune system may underperform and make you more susceptible to virus infections.

Supplementation 

It is true that you can get all the vitamins and minerals you need through diet, but in case your body is lacking, here are some of the most commonly recommended vitamins for boosting your immune system:

• Vitamin C – everyone knows about vitamin C but we had to mention it simply because it’s the biggest, most important vitamin booster of all. Numerous studies clearly show that lack of vitamin C makes it easier for you to get sick.
• Vitamin B – vitamin B, B6 to be more precise, has a vital role in supporting certain biochemical reactions involved in producing white blood and T cells. These cells help the body fight off both viruses and bacteria.
• Vitamin E – studies confirmed that this vitamin is crucial for keeping the T cells at their peak performance, so it directly influences the capabilities of our immune system.
• Peptides – peptides are one of the most recently discovered molecules affecting a whole host of chemical procedures going on within our body. One such molecule is ll37 peptide, proved to be effective in inhibiting certain viral replications.

Drinking A Lot (Of Water!)

Of course, hydration does not count if you drink a lot of alcohol or sugary drinks, we’re talking about only drinking water. 

Since blood and lymph carry immune cells through the body, we need water (need to be well hydrated) in order to improve circulation and allow these immune cells to reach the affected areas of the body. 

Even if you don’t sweat or exercise, you lose bodily water through breathing, bowel movement, urine etc. and this is why you should “refuel your tank” as much as necessary!

Stress

Of course, we all know that stress is bad for you, but we are still lacking in studies to determine how stress affects your health directly.

What we can talk about are the indirect effects of stress. When we are under a lot of stress (especially over longer periods of time), it starts taking a toll on our:

• Sleeping – we start sleeping less and when we do get some sleep, it’s usually inferior in quality
• Eating – when you are stressed out, chances are you’re going to consume more junk food that’s not good for you
• Exercising – when you are stressed out, you’ll be less motivated to move around and exercise, further eroding your immune system capabilities