ON 22-APR-2020

Quick Tips to boost immunity

With the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many of us are concerned about staying healthy and maintaining a healthy immune system. Rightly so, a healthy immune system can benefit your body and boost your defences against viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. The old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” may actually have truth behind it. Eating nutritious food rich in certain vitamins and minerals actually helps boost our immunity.

Now more than ever, we realise the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to build our immunity and protect our bodies from various diseases, viruses and bacteria.

Having said that, boosting our immunity is definitely something that is in our hands. Below are a few tips to boost immunity to ensure healthy living and protection from illnesses:

Ensure intake of Food that boosts immunity

Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune system which offers protection from illnesses and other health problems. No one food or supplement can prevent illness but you may help support your immune system by including these nutrients in your overall eating plan on a regular basis.

Below is a list of foods that you can include in your day to day diet:

a. Citrus fruits:
Vitamin C rich citrus fruits boost the immune system by stimulating the formation of antibodies. Include more sources of this healthy vitamin by choosing fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and tangerines, or red bell pepper, papaya, strawberries, tomato juice. You can even include foods fortified with vitamin C, such as some cereals.

b. Garlic:
It contains compounds – ‘Alliin’ and ‘Allicin’ that help the immune system fight germs. These compounds have shown to boost disease fighting response of some of the white blood cells in the body when they encounter viruses

c. Fresh Food:
Green leafy vegetables which have high levels of vitamins like C, K and folate are all good immune boosters.

d. Ginger:
Due to its strong anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, ginger helps boost immunity. Rich in vitamins like magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium make it a great addition to daily food.

e. Curcumin
This is a component of turmeric which contains healing properties. It is known for its anti-inflammatory effects and has numerous health benefits. This superfood is also known to have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal activities.

f. Turmeric:
This spice has been a part of our cooking for thousands of years now. It has been used for its medicinal, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Food Supplements

Another important way to boost your immunity is adding food supplements along with a healthy diet. Food supplements are dietary supplements that supplement the diet to ensure the recommended levels of nutrients are maintained in the body. These are normally available in capsule or tablet forms. Food supplements like Ra Defence; an anti-inflammatory, Ra Vitamin C+; a rich source of Vitamin C which is an antioxidant and Ra Essentials; a multivitamin are great to boost immunity.

Limit alcohol consumption and sugar and do not smoke

Alcohol and smoking weakens immunity, hence limiting consumption of alcohol and avoiding smoking help boost immunity. Restricting the intake of sugar helps the immune system fight any bacterial attack, thus it is important to lower sugar intake.

Manage stress 

Research has shown that high stress levels may damage the immune system. So whenever possible, try to be aware of your stress levels and work to lower them when they get too high. Having a positive outlook towards life helps in this pursuit.

Maintain an active lifestyle 

Indulge in any form of exercise for 30 mins daily. Exercise contributes to improving cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight and protects against a variety of diseases.

Get adequate sleep 

Studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep are more likely to get sick. Adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Being well rested improves the function of White blood cells, thus making you less likely to have any illnesses.

Your first line of defence is to choose a healthy lifestyle. During these difficult times, general good-health tips mentioned above are the best steps you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system strong and healthy.

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Keep Glowing!