Holly Fleck

After a long two years, legal coronavirus restrictions have been lifted and the full return to the new ‘normal’ is upon us. However, that doesn’t mean we should stop taking care of our immune systems and providing our bodies with an essential boost. SaVanna Shoemaker, a registered dietitian, expresses in a Healthline article that strategies such as sleep, diet, exercise, supplements, and stress management can give you this boost.

1. Sleep should be a top priority

The first essential ingredient to a healthier immune system is a good night’s sleep.The Sleep Foundation states that “sleep powers the mind, restores the body, and fortifies virtually every system in the body”. The suggested number of hours of sleep per night varies with age, the National Library of Medicine recommends that young adults and adults should receive between seven and nine hours of sleep.

However, the truth is that achieving a quality sleeping pattern is easier said than done. The Mayo Clinic suggests that alongside sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, paying attention to the consumption of heavy or large meals, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol before bed will help give a more restful sleep. Suggestions also include limiting daytime naps, managing worries through journaling or meditation (the ‘Calm’ app is highly rated), and partaking in physical activity.

2. Physical activity

Speaking of physical activity, engaging in moderate exercise could also improve your immune system. The NHS website states that “moderate activity will raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster and feel warmer” with the tell-tale being “if you can still talk, but not sing”. Very Well Fit suggests this second strategy can be achieved by brisk walking, swimming leisurely, cycling, ballroom/ line dancing, volleyball, tennis, gardening and even housework such as vacuuming.

Although, it can be difficult to get into physical activity; the Mayo Clinic proposes that setting fitness goals, making exercise fun, including physical activity in your daily routine, rewarding yourself, becoming flexible, writing your exercise goals down, and joining forces with orders can maintain motivation.

3. Reduce stress levels

The third method to improve your immune system is by managing any stress or concerns that you may have. Partaking in mindfulness exercises such as meditation, body scanning, mindful eating, moving, colouring, and drawing are suggested by the organisation, Mind. If stress and anxiety are not relieved, Healthline states that ‘long-term stress promotes inflammation, as well as imbalances in immune cell function’.

4. Balanced diet is important

Fourthly, a balanced diet does not go a miss when attempting to achieve a healthy immune system. Healthline suggests that eating more whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes that include antioxidants will decrease inflammation, as well as provide fiber that feeds your gut microbiome.

Contrary to mediated beliefs, consumable fats can be healthy, in fact, healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetables can also decrease inflammation. Although limiting added sugars is essential to avoid obesity and decrease the risk of becoming ill. In addition, fermented foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, cheese, and natto are rich in beneficial bacteria called probiotics. According to the National Institutes of Health’s research, fermented foods help immune cells to differentiate between healthy cells and harmful organisms.

5. Drink more water

Alongside food, ensuring that your body is hydrated is important to your overall health. Healthline states that “dehydration can cause headaches and hinder your physical performance, focus, mood, digestion, and heart and kidney function. These complications can increase your susceptibility to illness”. BBC Good Food recommends that “drinking little and often is the best way to stay hydrated” with the NHS Eatwell Guide suggesting six to eight glasses of water a day.

But what options are there to help achieve the recommended water amount? Considering the taste of plain water isn’t to everyone’s liking, Waterdrop is an eco-conscious sustainable brand that sources fruits and plants from trusted farms around the world that can be added to water to enhance the taste. Also, a bottle that tracks how much water has been consumed doesn’t go a miss.

6. Supplements

Finally, supplements that may strengthen your body’s immune system include vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, elderberry, echinacea, and garlic. However, Healthline concluded that more research is needed into many of these vitamins’ properties against illness and consumers must be aware that the declarations that supplements can treat or prevent COVID-19 are untrue.

Although if you are in the market for a supplement, ‘My Vitamins’ is an online website that provides a range of vitamins, minerals, and supplements, often with exclusive discounts. If purchasing vitamins online is not an option, retailers such as Tesco offer a ‘3 for 2’ deal on a range of multivitamins or supplements if you are a Clubcard holder.

It is important to remember, however, despite none of these lifestyle and dietary suggestions being proven to prevent COVID-19 they could reinforce your body’s defences against harmful pathogens and strengthen your immune system. After all, a healthy immune system is a healthy body.

Holly Fleck is a Journalism student at Ulster University.

HEALTH: 6 Ways to Boost the Immune System in post-Covid world