27 Jan What goes into making a healthy immune system?

What exactly is the immune system anyway?

Simply put, the immune system is an intricate network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to fight infections, diseases, and other foreign invaders. We call it a system because it works pretty much like a computer: your immune system detects viruses, sends coded messages to different parts of the body, then runs a program to eliminate the threat. 

A healthy immune system guards you against everything from minor germs to far more serious microbial attacks and infections.

Another similarity to the smart computers we have these days is that your immune system learns as you grow older and get exposed to different kinds of threats. Every time you came down with a cold or a cut got infected, your immune system learned to recognize different kinds of germs and viruses, so it could respond stronger and faster to those same threats in the future. 

What goes into making the immune system strong?

Your diet, exercise, sleeping habits, and even your stress levels have a lasting impact on your immune response. That’s why these basic lifestyle changes that we talk about below are your first line of defense against autoimmune hormonal imbalance.

1. Sleep – Sleep is the natural repair and recovery mechanism of the human body. During sleep, damaged tissue is replaced. Sleep aids in the creation of new cells. This is how you get rid of aches and heal from injury. Metabolism – the chemical process by which the body breaks down some cells to make energy while making up new compounds to support new structures and needs – is refreshed by good sleep.
2. Exercise – Even a short burst of intense breathing, heightened heart rate, and circulation helps the body get rid of harmful bacteria. As temperature rises and airways clear out swiftly, the cells in your body refresh themselves on a new gust of oxygen – the proverbial fresh air that everyone talks about. Exercise is a great shot in the arm for metabolism too.
3. Diet changes – We’re not talking about giving up favorites. However, we do recommend including more plant produce, yogurts, and other forms of fermented foods. They have friendly bacteria that help the all-important gut bacteria in your digestive system work better. Digestion gets easier with probiotics while cutting down on sugars reduces inflammation. Natural anti-inflammatory aromatics like ginger also help the immune system strengthen.
4. Hydration – Drinking up is an all-in-one change as it goes hand-in-hand with a better diet, sleep, and exercise. Hydration after exercise brings the heightened body temperature back down naturally. Drinking water after strenuous activity replenishes strained muscles and joints with the required fluid balance. Chances of muscle spasms and cramps reduce.

So much is said about tending to the immune system. While you make all the good decisions and do the right things for your health, there is an internal signal that can be the cheerleader to your white-blood corpuscles. This is the endocrine system – or the system where hormones are produced.

The link between hormonal balance and immune health is clear and undeniable.

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