Although everybody has one, the immune system varies massively from person to person. Some people are more prone to illness than others as their body struggles to fight disease. Older people generally have a weaker immune system than younger adults, and smokers are also prone to cold and flu viruses.
If you seem to be frequently bed bound, here are some useful tips to keep you and your immune system fit and healthy:
1. Avoid stress – all of us respond to stress in different ways but continued stress can leave us feeling emotionally and physically run down. Research has shown that stress can suppress the immune system so take time out to relax whenever you can.
2. 9. Regular exercise – Research has shown that regular exercise helps to enhance health and happiness by releasing positive endorphins. The majority of our time is spent indoors, sharing germs and filtered air with others. Get out into the fresh air.
3. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables – By eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, not only will you have higher energy levels and feel healthier, the content of these foods are high in vitamins and minerals that will help to protect against illness.
4. Get a good night sleep – Everybody has different requirements for sleep, but the average amount of sleep for adults is eight hours per night. It is important that you get enough sleep as this helps to keep a clear mind, balance hormones and keep weight down, all of which is important to your immune system.
5. Laughter – Science has proved that laughing helps to release positive endorphins into the brain, and improves mood and general happiness. The immune system works at its best when the body is happy.
6. Hand hygiene – Washing your hands is important in day-to-day life as it helps to decrease the spread of infection. People can become infected with respiratory illnesses such as influenza or the common cold, for example, if they don’t wash their hands before touching their eyes, nose, or mouth.
7. Vitamins – It has been proven that Vitamin C and the mineral zinc are important in maintaining the normal functioning of the immune system. If you don’t think you are getting enough in your diet its worth considering supplements.
8. Drink less alcohol – Binge drinking kills the white blood cells that help to protect you against ill health. Ensure you maintain a healthy drinking habit and stick to the drinking guidelines supplied by the government.
9. Stay hydrated – Drinking plenty of water helps to keep your body flowing as it should and flushes out bad bacteria.
10. Feed your good gut bacteria - Your gut is home to billions of bacteria some of which play an important role in immune health. In fact 60% of your immune system is found in your gut. By feeding the bacteria with second generation prebiotics you can boost your good immune supporting bacteria.
Bimuno is a unique second generation prebiotic which in scientific studies has been shown to significantly increase the ‘good’ immune supporting bacteria in your gut.
