- Ways to strengthen immunity
- Home remedies to boost your immune system
- Chinese massage (acupressure)
- Inborn and acquired immunity
- Vaccines
You can strengthen your immunity in various ways. First of all, give up stimulants, change your diet rich in vegetables and fruits, dress warmly, and sometimes go to the sauna. This will help you avoid many infections. The immune system must be functional.
You often suffer from various infectionsinfections , do you get tired quickly and sleep badly? If so, think aboutto strengthen yourresilience. There are simple ways to do this.cells of the immune systemhave a short life span - some cells for only 36 hours. It is true that our defensive army is constantly renewing itself, but this regeneration must be supported.
Ways to strengthen immunity
- Sleep off
An exhausted body is more susceptible to infections. That is why you must not fall asleep at night and get enough sleep. An adult person needs about 8 hours of sleep a day. To fall asleep easier, remember to ventilate the bedroom well, and eat a light dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed in the evening. Do not exercise intensively before going to bed, but go for a walk, for example. You will relax and oxygenate your body.
- Learn to relax
Immunity is weakened by stress and nervous tension, because the defense system is closely related to the nervous system. Tension and nervousness disrupt their cooperation. To prevent this from happening, you need to spend some time every day to relax, unwind and wind down.
- Learn to breathe deeply and calmly, especially in difficult situations. You can count up to 10 in your mind while breathing in.
- Speak openly about your problems. Analyze conflict situations and try to find a solution to the problem.
- To vent your over-emotions, you can sometimes smash your plate on the floor or just shout.
- Defend your free time. Don't take on too many responsibilities and learn to say no.
- Find time for friends. Studies have shown that the immune system of social people is functioning by 20 percent. better than those who are introverted.
- Take a relaxing massage from time to time, which relaxes and has a positive effect on the lymphatic circulation.
Alcohol, cigarettes, coffee destroy vitamins and microelements, which are antioxidants (they neutralize free radicals that are harmful to the immune system). Alcohol in a dosemore than a glass of red wine a day is a poison that penetrates the blood and lymph and kills the immune cells present in them. In turn, tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 poisonous substances that destroy mucous membranes, and thus the first line of our defense against pathogenic germs.
In this way, you improve the mechanisms of thermoregulation, thanks to which you tolerate temperature drops or fluctuations better in winter. It is then easier to defend against infections. How to harden yourself? Wading in cool water works well. Fill the bathtub with it until the water reaches the middle of the calves. After a dozen or so minutes, dry your feet well and massage them (you can use a warming balm). It is also worth taking "air baths". This is a 5-10 minute exercise in light clothes and with the window open. The temperature in the room should not be lower than 8 degrees C.
Doctors suggest that we should exercise at least 3 times a week for 30-60 minutes. You need to maintain a pace of activity - such as running, cycling or swimming - so that your heart rate is 180 minus the bpm age during exertion (for example, if you are 45 years old, your pps should be hitting 135 times per minute). lots of exercise in the fresh air, so it is worth walking vigorously for half an hour every day, e.g. on the way to or from work.
First of all, it should include vegetables and fruits, because they are rich in so-called antioxidants which - by fighting free radicals - promote immunity. Antioxidants are mainly vitamins A, C and E. Valuable vegetables and fruits include carrots, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, red peppers, citrus, but also currants and strawberries (also frozen). Eat garlic, which is bactericidal and increases the activity of white blood cells. Fresh is the most powerful, and its power is increased by vit. C. Natural yoghurt with live bacteria hoods must not be missing from an immune diet. TheL.caseicontained in it stimulate white blood cells to be more active. They conduct exercises on a training ground, preparing them for possible defense. Among the elements necessary for the proper functioning of the immune system, zinc and copper are in the first place. Thanks to them, more white blood cells are formed and they are more efficient. You will find these elements, among others in fish and seafood, calf liver, legumes, pumpkin seeds and eggs.
High temperature prevailing in itit increases body temperature by 2-3 degrees Celsius, which is not liked by viruses or bacteria. In addition, by sweating, we cleanse the body of harmful toxins. It is worth visiting the sauna prophylactically. However, during an infection or when you have problems with the circulatory system - do not use it.
The body doesn't like being cold. It may react to a sharp drop in temperature by reducing immunity. So dress according to the weather, preferably on the so-called onion (you can always remove or add one layer). It is well protected against cooling off by a thin basket made of delicate sheep's wool on the naked body.
Home remedies to boost your immune system
In many homes, recipes for potions that strengthen the body's defenses have been known for generations. They are sometimes effective and some are also tasty.
Chinese massage (acupressure)
According to Chinese medicine, our body has invisible channels for the flow of life energy. If blockages are formed in their way, immunity weakens. To prevent this, it is worth performing a gentle massage of sensitive points 2-3 times a day.
Inborn and acquired immunity
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the immune system cannot cope withlurking germs everywhere. Then, after consulting a doctor, we can use ready-made fortifying preparations and vaccines. We come into the world with innate immunity, called by experts non-specific, and then we gain acquired immunity, called specific. The latter largely depends on us. First of all, it arises when we become infected with an infectious disease, after which our body becomes immune to it. Secondly, we strengthen her by undergoing vaccinations.
Vaccines
We can also support innate immunity by vaccinating. However, the decision on such support must be consulted with a doctor. Immune-stimulating vaccines contain killed bacteria, extracts from killed bacteria, lyophilized bacterial lysates, or bacterial ribosomes. They affect food cells, stimulate T lymphocytes and increase the production of interferon (proteins with antiviral activity).
- oral Broncho-Vaxom vaccine (indications for its use are recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract and chronic bronchitis);
- oral Luivac and injected Polyvaccinum - recommended for recurrent respiratory infections;
- available in the form of aerosol, granules and oral ribomunyl tablets, which can be used to prevent recurrent respiratory infections;
- oral Uro-vaxom used in immunotherapy of urinary tract infections;
- nasal spray IRS 19 used in recurrent inflammations of the nasal cavities, chronic rhinitis and ear infections;
- injected Panodine recommended for boils, tonsillitis and mastitis.
A vaccine is a weakened or dead pathogenic microorganisms introduced into the body, provoking the immune system to produce antibodies. It is a kind of training that prepares you to recognize germs as soon as they enter your body and send out an army of antibodies against them. In order for the acquired immunity to last for many years, you need to take the so-called booster doses of the vaccine.
Therapy of the so-called non-specific vaccines are usually long-term (up to several months) and should be selected individually for each patient. The long duration of treatment is due to the fact that the natural immune mechanisms are to be gradually activated during administration of these vaccines.
Non-specific vaccines are supposed to prevent diseases, strengthen the immune system and thus protect us against too frequent reaching for drugs that are not indifferent to the body, e.g.antibiotics. There are not many contraindications to the use of this type of vaccine. They should not be used, inter alia, in people with autoimmune diseases (e.g. lupus) and in those undergoing desensitisation therapy.
monthly "Zdrowie"