Health protection has become a priority for everyone around the globe. Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, people are shifting their values in favor of personal safety. In reality, it means sanitizers, protective clothing, and plexiglass sneeze guards to prevent bacterial cross-contamination.
The widespread trend of people taking precautions with their health is one of the positive effects of COVID-19. After all, who can claim that taking care of personal well-being is a bad idea? Many should have started taking care of it long ago.
However, it shouldn’t be limited to covering your mouth and nose or wearing gloves in public places. Taking a general approach aimed at improving the immune system is more effective and will deliver better results. You could become prone to other diseases as well. After all, they haven’t disappeared.
Here is a list of seven things to boost your immune system during the pandemic and after.
1. Say No to Smoking
This is crucial if you want to improve your respiratory health. Anything that impairs lung function may lead to you contracting a more severe form of the illness. This may lead to severe consequences: for instance, you could experience serious coronavirus symptoms like difficulty with breathing.
Quitting smoking is beneficial even in pandemic-free times. We all know how many people die annually as a result of this bad habit. The figure has climbed to several million: according to the WHO data, tobacco causes more than 8 million deaths every year.
2. Make Physical Exercises a Regular Part of Your Day
You would hardly be surprised to hear that exercise is good for your body. Even a child will answer “Yes” to the question “Does working out boost immune system?”
Along with the overall positive effect on the immune system, exercises also have a positive impact on breathing. For example, you can try pursed lip breathing or deep yoga nasal breathing.
Traditional working out is also beneficial. Cardio, stretching, or yoga improves your physical state and the health of your lungs and contributes to strengthening the immune system.
3. Manage the Amount of Mucus
The thing about mucus is that it must be in balance in order to reduce the risk of getting infected. However, you should control excessive mucus buildup. It is the perfect breeding ground for viruses and bacteria to spread.
The working solution to decreasing the amount of mucus is taking a hot shower. You can also make a hot towel compress. Steam mixes with mucus and thins it out.
4. Mind Your Mental Health
Many people are suffering from mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The uncertain economic situation, as well as the widespread panic in society as a result of the pandemic threat, causes these mental problems to escalate.
For example, people panic while even communicating with cashiers. Therefore, shop owners use sneeze guards to prevent any tensions.
In order to avoid stress, try to limit your media consumption. Choose only reliable media channels that provide factual stories. Alongside this, practice a healthy routine: try meditating and ensure that you get enough sound sleep. This will help you to maintain your mental health.
5. Try to Eliminate or Moderate Alcohol Consumption
It is a fact known worldwide that alcohol damages the human body. It affects almost everything. Its biggest threat to the body is that it impacts the immune system; due to this damage, your body struggles to defeat any bacterial invasions or viruses. It’s better to eliminate alcoholic beverages completely. Or at least try to minimize your intake.
6. Avoid Allergens
This is another measure you can take to protect your lungs and ensure your overall well-being. Allergens negatively affect nose activity. They prevent clean air from getting inside. This, in turn, affects the lungs as you have to start breathing through your mouth.
To eliminate allergens, it’s vital to extract dust from the air. An air filter is a possible solution. If you don’t have one, remember to air the room. Especially if you spend much of the day there.
7. Eat Healthily
Food has a direct impact on the immune system. You need to consume organic, nutrient-rich products that will improve your “inner guards”. Here is a list of beneficial products:
- Red bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Chickpeas
- Strawberries
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Yogurt
- Sunflower seeds
These products are rich in vitamins, which are crucial for improving your well-being. They contain such beneficial ingredients as Vitamin E, probiotics, Vitamin C, antioxidants, Vitamin D, and many others.
As you can see, these tips are simple yet effective. It won’t take you much effort (probably, except for quitting bad habits). Don’t waste your time asking yourself, “Does exercise boost immune system?” Start to work out and follow other tips now! Stay safe and healthy!
About the Author
Elizabeth Barletta is a respectable therapist. She has more than 20 years of practical experience. Along with this, she is an active member of a scientific commonwealth. At the moment, she is carrying out research focusing on modern tools (like sneeze guards from Fortuna Visual) that enhance health protection during COVID-19.
