Cold Prevention Tip: Boosting Your Immune System
Posted on May 15th, 2009. Filed under: Health.
There are several proven ways to reduce your chances of catching a cold. First of all you can avoid contact with infected people and items that they have touched. Second, take preventative actions such as washing your hands periodically and not touching your nose and eyes if you do have contact with an infected item or person. Finally, you can take care of your body and keep it healthy and strong so that it can better fight off the sickness should contact with the virus still occur. Let’s delve into this area a little deeper as it is one of the key components of cold prevention.
One of the best methods for achieving a healthy and strong body is to bolster the immune system. The immune system is a complex network of interacting cells, cell products, and cell-forming tissues that protects the body from pathogens and other foreign substances, destroys infected and malignant cells, and removes cellular debris. Nutrition has a significant role in determining the strength of the immune system. There are certain foods, vitamins, and supplements that can boost your immune system and keep your body healthy.
Vitamins/Antioxidants
Antioxidants like vitamin C & E offer direct protection for your immune system. Taking a good multi-vitamin can keep your body in general good health which in turn boosts all aspects of immune defense. Some immune system vitamins are packaged as a specific product and sold as a specific immune booster supplement.
Immune Boosting Foods
Sometimes taking vitamins is not as effective as actually eating the foods that contain them. Ten of the best foods for boosting your immune system are turmeric, oysters, oregano, pumpkins, yogurt, broccoli, garlic, ginger, green tea, and red bell peppers. Each of these foods have properties that can boost your overall immune system health.
Physical Factors
Being generally physically fit is a huge factor in boosting your immune functions, but make sure not to overdo it as over-stressing your body can reduce the effectiveness if your immune system. A few other physical factors that can maximize your immune response are minimizing damage via UV and other radiation to the immune system and minimizing the aging process.
If you want to reduce the number of colds that you catch, it is definitely in your best interest to pay attention to these physical and dietary methods of improving your immune system .