Can You Really Strengthen Your Immune Defense? We Bust Myths!
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Can you really strengthen your immune system? We bust the myths! If you browse through social media or a health blog, it is likely that you will come across some tips to strengthen your immune system or a post recommending the "best vitamins to strengthen your immune system". But can you really strengthen your immune system? The answer to that question is not as simple as you might think.
First we have to think about what "boosting" the immune system actually means. The truth is that if you were to take a vitamin or a supplement that could really boost your immune system, you might not be too happy with the result! You see, a healthy immune system is not only about being strong, but also about being balanced. If our immune system was actually "strengthened", it is likely that there would be frequent overreactions, that the immune cells would not be able to distinguish properly between foreign/invading cells and own cells, and the end result would be a life of autoimmunity and/or allergic reactions. and it's probably not what you had in mind!
When people think of immunity boosters, what they often look for is ways to support immunity naturally - that's a big difference! Supporting natural immunity is the process of giving the body what it needs to facilitate a correct (balanced) immune response. A large part of this is to ensure that sufficient vitamins and minerals are available so that the immune system can carry out the reactions that prevent foreign cells, bacteria, viruses etc. from invading our healthy bodies. Below we will look at what can be done to help your immune system.
Healthy food for immunity
A big part of supporting the natural immune system is a healthy diet! Certain foods are well known for their immune-supporting properties, such as garlic, turmeric, leafy greens and various berries. These all have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are also very nutritious, which means that your system gets a lot of health-supporting elements with every bite! You may notice that some of these ingredients are found in Aarja Health products, such as curcumin, ginger, lingonberry and blueberry, and this is no coincidence. When nature provides us with such useful foods, we must use its gift!
For natural immunity = manage your stress and regular exercise
For many people, stress management is a crucial component in ensuring that our immune system remains strong. Although short periods of stress are a natural (healthy) reaction, long-term stress takes a significant part of the power of our immune system. This means that if you participate in regular stress management techniques - such as meditation, daily movement and stretching, creative activities and hobbies - it can actually help to keep your immune system in top condition. Another form of stress management is exercise, which in itself can also benefit the immune system! With the body's adaptations after exercise and genome to improve circulation, physical activity is an excellent way to support the natural immune system.
Sleep = supports the entire immune system
Did you know that sleep also benefits the immune system? That's right, while you get little sleep, this is a critical rest period for the body that allows us to carry out well-balanced immune responses. The fact is that sleep affects both branches of our immune system - the innate and the adaptive - which gives us a well-balanced response with appropriate levels of inflammation and cell memory so that we are prepared for the next opportunity of infection!
For a healthy immune response = be outdoors in daylight!
Spending time outdoors is also another good way to strengthen the immune system. Whether you're out for a quick walk in the neighborhood, a walk outside, swimming or cycling, you'll get the sun's vitamin that our immune system needs to work on all cylinders! The effect of sunlight on our skin is to convert inactive vitamin D into its active (usable) form, which then has several effects on immune cells throughout our body. It is so important that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased autoimmunity and increased susceptibility to infection. So as you can see, correct vitamin D levels are a necessary part of maintaining immune balance! But what happens when it's freezing outside and your sun exposure is limited? Don't worry, you don't need to ski in a bathing suit, we can help you.
Dietary supplement for the immune system
Regardless of whether the colder weather has kept you indoors, or perhaps you just want to be extra sure that you are getting the right nutrition for immunity, vitamin and mineral supplements can be a fantastic way to ensure that your immune cells have exactly what they need to protect you! With that said, however, content and quality should have absolute priority. After all, your body must be able to recognize and use these vitamins for them to be effective. Fortunately, we have spent countless hours formulating and developing products that are not only of the purest quality, but are so unique that we combine some of the healthiest foods on the planet to bring nature's gift into effective, easily absorbed dietary supplements.
Some of our favorites when it comes to immunity are Vitamin D3 with lingonberry , OptiMSM+C and blueberries, Vitamin C with zinc and chaga and finally Curcumin with ginger and B12 . Each and every one of these contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant nutrients that support the natural immunity with the extra beneficial effect of the plant compounds found in these nutritious foods! Be sure to check them out in our online store and stock up before the cold winter weather!
We hope that you have learned a little here today - mainly that we should not focus on strengthening the immune system as much as we should support its natural balance. Some of the best ways to do this are with the right diet, exercise, stress management, sleep and of course by incorporating some of the best immune support supplements available. When we focus on the whole body and supply it with some of nature's healthiest foods, we can stay healthy all year round!