Natural Ways To Improve Your Immune System

Daily exposure to toxins and heavy metals overwhelms our body’s defense capacity. An increasing number of chemicals are making their way into our bodies, not only in the consumer products we use, but also in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.

These toxins overwhelm and impair our immune system, which is our body’s first line of defense. Here we will see the best Natural Ways To Improve Your Immune System.

Our Defense System

Our immune system defends our body from foreign organisms and infectious particles, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It also protects us from other types of invaders, including cancer cells and damaged cells caused by aging.

Our immune system is made up of many parts that work together to protect us from disease. The first line of defense against infection is the skin and mucous membranes (such as the inner lining of the nose, mouth, eyes, and ears). They prevent germs from entering our bodies through cuts or openings in the skin. Mucous membranes also trap harmful germs before they can enter the body through the nose or mouth.

If a foreign entity overcomes this first line of defense and enters our body, reaching the lungs, the digestive system, or the bloodstream, it can cause infections and other types of damage, which triggers an immune response of antibodies, lymphocytes, and leukocytes or white blood cells. These cells swallow the foreign particles they find in our bodies, such as bacteria and viruses, as well as our cells when they have been invaded.

When the immune system is weakened or compromised, its defense response is deficient, and invaders easily enter our body causing all kinds of health problems.

How does our immune system weaken?

Our immune system can be weakened either due to a deficit of the nutrients necessary for its proper functioning, due to the presence of toxic substances, or other factors that interfere with the manufacture of its main components within our body.

Let’s see the most relevant factors that can unbalance and deteriorate our immune system, reducing its ability to fight invading agents:

Heavy Metals Accumulate in our Body

We are exposed to heavy metals every day of our lives. This exposure occurs primarily through food, water, air, commercial products, and medications.

Because heavy metals are inorganic compounds that the body cannot metabolize, they accumulate over years in organs and tissues and can affect our health.

Although most heavy metals can damage the immune system, lead and mercury are the most harmful.

Lead is a highly toxic metal to which we are frequently exposed due to its extensive use in modern industry. It is present in paints, water, and other industrial products where it is used as an additive. Exposure to this metal can cause alterations in various body systems such as the nervous, renal, circulatory, reproductive, and immune systems. In this case, its main effect is the reduction of the number of pulmonary macrophages and decreased synthesis of antibodies.

Mercury is widely used in different industrial processes and is dumped as waste in the water of rivers and seas. In this way, marine animals are contaminated, and when we bring fish to our table as food, we enter a portion of mercury into our bodies. It is also used as an amalgam to repair dental pieces, among other uses. Mercury can deteriorate some types of leukocytes, reducing or damaging their ability to act.

Toxins Accumulate Too

Toxins are found in food, water, the air, and in many commercial products that we daily use. Toxins accumulate in the intestine, a key part of the immune system, and it makes us more prone to infections and atopic manifestations, such as asthma or eczema.

An Unhealthy Diet

A diet with poor quality nutrients, and saturated with additives and chemical products, produces a reduction of the quality nutrients stored in our body, an insufficient supply of vitamins, essential minerals, and other necessary nutrients, creating inflammation that deteriorates the immune system.

Pollution Of The Air We Breathe

Exposure to polluted air decreases the function of regulatory T cells (Treg), responsible for slowing down the reaction of the immune system against non-pathogenic agents in the body.
The reduced activity of Treg cells is highly associated with increased symptoms of asthma and the appearance of autoimmune diseases.

Other Factors

Stress, anxiety, a negative or depressive emotional state, or lack of sleep can weaken our body’s defenses, increasing susceptibility to inflammatory diseases and infections.

A strong immune system needs the right nutrients

To function properly, each stage of the immune response requires specific vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Deficiencies in just one nutrient can affect your immune system, so eating a healthy, balanced diet, and avoiding processed foods and chemical additives, is of great importance.

Remember to always choose fresh and organic products to avoid exposure to toxins.

The most important vitamins and minerals for immune health are:

Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most frequent in the world. This vitamin has a direct effect on the immune system, by influencing the formation and differentiation of white blood cells. This is especially so in the case of lymphocytes, which produce antibodies that exert a protective effect on the digestive tract.

Beta-carotene as a precursor of vitamin A is important in preventing the development of autoimmune diseases. In addition, since Vitamin A plays an important role in the development of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Its deficiency favors the formation of respiratory infections.

Vitamin A is mainly found in beef liver and other organ meats. It is also found in eggs, and some types of fish such as herring, salmon, and cod liver oil.

Vitamin B

The complexes of B vitamins, including folic acid (B9), are involved in various ways in the immune defense, mainly by participating in the formation of proteins relevant to the immune system and DNA. The B vitamins have been specially related to the improvement of the immune reaction in seriously ill patients.

Vitamin B deficiency can have negative consequences for the immune system. For example, vitamin B1 deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of parasite infections, and vitamin B6 deficiency with impaired cellular immunity in healthy elderly people.

Vitamin B can be obtained from proteins such as fish, chicken, beef, eggs, and dairy products. Green leafy vegetables and beans also have Vitamin B.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps fight pathogens even at a very early stage of invasion in the body. This vitamin is enriched in white blood cells and can enhance their antibacterial function. Some evidence suggests that adequate administration of vitamin C may reduce some frequency and duration of respiratory tract infections and colds.

The main sources of natural origin are citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruit, lemon, kiwi, and vegetables such as broccoli and tomatoes.

Vitamin D

When vitamin D levels are low, the killer cells of the immune system cannot be activated, so they cannot fight pathogens in the body. Deficiency of this vitamin seems to be associated with an increased risk of infections, mainly in the upper respiratory tract.

Vitamin D is synthesized through the skin when exposed to sunlight, but a small part can also be obtained from the diet, in foods such as fatty fish (herring, salmon, mackerel), egg yolks, and meat.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which can protect against free radicals. This vitamin performs its most important function in cell membranes, where it protects cell walls from harmful molecules and from the reaction that originates from the immune resistance offered by the body itself.

Vitamin E is found in foods such as vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, and soy), nuts (such as almonds and hazelnuts), and seeds (such as sunflower seeds).

Zinc

Zinc balance is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. Both deficiency and excess Zinc are detrimental to the immune process. Zinc is necessary for the proper functioning of both the cells that make up innate immunity and specific or developed immunity.
We can get Zinc from red meat, poultry, oysters, and other seafood. It is also present in beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products.

Selenium

Selenium, known as the “anticancer mineral,” is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. It is important for reproduction, thyroid gland function, DNA production, and protecting the body against infection and damage due to free radicals.

Selenium is essential for the adequate response of the immune system. Its deficiency alters the production of IgM and IgG immunoglobulins and hinders the motility of neutrophils. You can get the recommended amounts of selenium by eating a variety of foods. This include seafood, meat and poultry, eggs, and other dairy products, bread and cereals.

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Boost your immune system with these simple steps

Review Your Daily Diet To Ensure Adequate Nutritional Supply

You already know the fundamental nutrients that you must ingest to maintain a healthy immune system. Remember to select healthy, unprocessed products, and organic if possible, avoiding products contaminated with toxins and heavy metals.

If you have doubts regarding the consumption of some foods or the required daily portions, consult your nutritionist.

Be outdoors, exposing as much skin as possible

It only takes about 20 minutes in the midday sun (between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) for the body to absorb UVB rays through the skin and convert them into one of the best defenses of the body’s immune system. Studies show that sun-derived vitamin D can circulate for twice as long as vitamin D from food or supplements.

Consult your doctor if you are highly sensitive to sunlight, or if you have any skin conditions.

Reduce exposure to toxins

Although toxins and heavy metals are everywhere and we can hardly escape from them in our daily lives, here are some ways to avoid or significantly reduce exposure to these harmful substances:

• Select organic foods when available
• Avoid consuming beverages packaged in aluminum cans
• Avoid excessive consumption of shellfish and large fish
• Use tap water filters
• Avoid the use of cosmetics and other commercial products that contain aluminum, such as deodorants
• Avoid the use of mercury amalgam for caries treatment.

Detox your Body

Make Detox a priority to maintain the health of your liver, kidneys, and your body’s natural detoxification processes. This will help you stay healthy and full of energy while reducing the chance of developing illnesses.

Include heavy metal removal in your detoxification process.

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Additional actions to support your immune system

Have Good Quality Sleep

Adequate and quality sleep allows your body to reorganize, recharge, and eliminate toxins that accumulate throughout the day, favoring the proper functioning of the immune system.

The repair of cells, energy restoration, and the secretion of hormones and specific proteins take place mainly during the hours that we sleep. Good quality sleep is a must for a healthier life.

Manage stress

Various studies show that chronic stress weakens the immune system. Find ways to control or reduce your stress level and you will improve your immune system and your health.

Stay active

Exercise can help your body to remove toxins and burn fat more effectively. Regular physical activity reduces inflammation and allows your body’s detox system to function properly, supporting a balanced and healthy immune system.

Drink enough water

Your cellular machinery works properly when you are well-hydrated. Water helps your body’s detoxification system remove waste from your blood, which is of great importance in immune processes.

Stay hydrated throughout the day by having tasty drinks such as soda, energy drinks, coffee, etc. Consider using hydration water bottles, where you can add tasty fruits and vegetables to your water for an extra burst of flavor.

Take appropriate supplements when needed

Supplementation, when done correctly, can help the body’s ability to heal, repair, and restore immune function. There are many products on the market, but not all of them have the required quality and purity. Consult your doctor or nutritionist to choose your product correctly.

Conclusion

A well-supported and protective immune system can “quietly” identify and attack threatening invaders before they cause damage to our bodies.

Our body was designed to heal itself and the immune system is the first line of defense. By removing everything that deteriorates and degrades the immune system, it can stay strong and fight germs, viruses, and bacteria that make you sick.