The spread of COVID-19 has brought our worlds to a standstill and our attention to our health, which we’ve all become more conscious about this year. A specific health concern is keeping our bodies healthy and immune systems supported and strong, which is somewhat unsurprising when it comes to battling a global pandemic.
Whilst there’s no way to guarantee you avoiding catching the virus, there are some things you can do to keep the healthy function of your body strong. So here are the best tips for boosting your immunity and giving your body the best chance at fighting COVID-19.
Most of the tips for keeping your body in fighting form against the virus are things that we should be doing anyway and leading a healthy lifestyle. So let’s get into them.
Take your vitamins
A crucial part of keeping our immune systems strong are giving them all the vitamins and minerals needed to fight illness and keep us healthy. And whilst in an ideal world we would get all of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need from our diets, in reality we can’t cover all bases. According to pickyeaterblog.com, this is where multivitamins come into play. They are fantastic for giving our bodies that extra boost, and can also be customized for certain groups.
We all need a different combination of vitamins to keep our immune systems strong, depending on gender, age and lifestyle choices, so there are a range of multivitamins that you can get, including:
- Multivitamins for men or women
- Multivitamins for the elderly or children
- Multivitamins for vegans or vegetarians
This helps to cater to the specific needs of each individual and give your body all it needs to stay healthy.
Eat a balanced diet
Of course, the majority of our vitamins and minerals come from the food that we eat. This is why eating a balanced diet is so important for people of all ages and groups. The more variety in your diet, the more minerals and vitamins that your body can absorb and use to fight illness and fatigue.
Here are a few examples of what vitamins different food groups provide:
- Meat products give your body iron, zinc and vitamin B
- Fruits and vegetables provide vitamin C, potassium and vitamin A
- Dairy products contain calcium and vitamin D
Don’t smoke or drink
We all know that smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol are detrimental to your health, and also leave you more susceptible to disease and cancer in the long run. But they also can make you lethargic and cause respiratory issues which can compromise your immune system too.
The best way to keep your immune system would be to cut these out of your lifestyle, but if you still choose to consume them, then you should do so in moderation.
Take steps to avoid infection
Keeping our bodies healthy isn’t just about what we put into them, but also what we do around them. No matter how strong your immune system is, if you expose yourself to infections and germs, then you will probably get ill. It’s vital to have healthy hygiene routines with activities like washing regularly and washing your hands properly. We don’t realize it, but we touch our faces, mouths and noses a lot, which paired with touching things like public transport or handrails that thousands of people have also touched means we are at risk of literally putting germs inside our bodies without knowing.
It’s also important to remember that germs and bacteria can grow or be present on the food we eat too, which is why we should be sure to wash our foods properly before consuming them, but also making sure we cook them properly. Meat that hasn’t been cooked properly, or food that has bacteria developing on it, can give you food poisoning and possibly worse.
Be active
Having an active lifestyle is imperative in boosting your immune system because it improves cardiovascular health, and therefore the strength of your lungs as well as encouraging your body to produce more cells.
Try to minimize stress
Stress has a huge impact on your health and immune system function, causing headaches and anxiety in the short term, and over time, high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, and even heart disease. The challenge is that stress shows up in many areas of our lives, therefore it’s difficult to tell if it’s too much. Trying to minimize it wherever possible is the best way to manage your stress, as it is impossible to completely eliminate it from your life.
Get a good amount of sleep
When we sleep, our bodies can repair themselves and generate new cells, making rest a crucial component of our health. It’s also vital in managing stress and mental health, as our brain can sort through thoughts and memory whilst we sleep too. Try to get between 6 – 8 hours of sleep per night so that your body can stay in fighting condition.
Combatting Covid-19
The following are a few things that we can do in the context of the coronavirus to boost our immune systems and fight against the spread of the virus.
Vitamin D intake
Although it hasn’t been completely proven, it is thought that taking vitamin D supplements can aid the immune system in fighting off the virus. It’s also great for keeping bones strong and even boosting our mood if you don’t get much sunlight.
You can take these supplements daily to support the function of your immune system.
Personal hygiene
Perhaps the biggest help in stopping the spread of the coronavirus is personal hygiene habits. Washing our hands, wearing masks and social distancing all play their roles in stopping the virus from spreading by reducing the likelihood that it can get inside another person’s body.
This should be a priority for us all, along with taking the relevant measures to boost our immune system. As this virus is not completely understood, it’s extremely hard to predict how each individual will react to it. This makes it even more important to focus on stopping the spread and protecting ourselves from it in general.
