Our immune system does the extraordinary job of defending us from disease-causing microorganisms. This amazing protective shield, which starts protecting us at birth, can weaken at times, making our body vulnerable and susceptible to diseases. But is it possible to prevent this from happening and boost our immune system? How important is the role of our lifestyle and eating habits in a strong immune system?
Let's begin by taking a closer look at our immune system before learning what we can do to strengthen it.
What Weakens the Immune System?
The immune system is vital for our body. And as such, we need to take care of it at every stage of life as far back as infancy and even gestation. Our lifestyle habits, stress and diet can all weaken and suppress our immune systems.
The main factors that reduce our body's resilience by weakening the immune system are:
- Bad diet
- Insufficient vitamin, mineral and protein intake
- Alcohol, tobacco and drugs
- Chemical medicines
- Exposure to free radicals and radiation
- Poor domestic and personal hygiene
- Exposure to air pollution, including in insufficiently ventilated indoor spaces
- Insufficient exercise or inactivity
- Being overweight or obese
- Viral or bacterial infections
- Insufficient sleep
- Lack of sunlight or exposure to UV rays
- Frequent fluctuations in ambient temperature
- Exhausting lifestyle
- Stress
- Emotional problems
Consequences of Weakened Immune System
The risk of contracting diseases increases as the immune system gets weaker. Opportunistic viruses and bacteria, taking advantage of the weakening immune system, attack the body, leading to infections, which in turn further weaken the immune system. This may lead to metabolic conditions such as inflammatory and psychosomatic diseases as well as cancer.
Consequences of Weakened Immune System
The risk of contracting diseases increases as the immune system gets weaker. Opportunistic viruses and bacteria, taking advantage of the weakening immune system, attack the body, leading to infections, which in turn further weaken the immune system. This may lead to metabolic conditions such as inflammatory and psychosomatic diseases as well as cancer.
Regular Check-ups Can Help Diagnose Immune System Disorders and Diseases
Regular check-ups can enable an early diagnosis of non-symptomatic health problems as well as provide information about the condition of your immune system. With the
Free Check-up program offered to Âlâ Banking customers, you can take advantage of the exclusive check-up services offered by Medical Park hospitals.
How to Boost the Immune System
- Do not smoke.
- Eat a balanced and diverse diet. Add more fruits and vegetables into your diet.
- Exercise regularly, preferably outdoors.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
- Get regular and quality sleep.
- Maintain good personal hygiene; wash your hands properly and frequently.
- Seek to resolve sources of stress in your daily life.
- Drink a minimum of 2 to 2.5 liters of water daily, based on season, your body weight and level of activity.
Keep a Regular Sleep Schedule
Sufficient sleep is essential for a strong immune system. Insufficient sleep at night makes us tired in the morning, which leads to lack of concentration, reduced productivity and loss of motivation and morale, weakening our immune system.
The amount of sleep we need is based on our age: 7 to 9 hours for adults, and 8 to 14 hours for children. For a good quality sleep, get ready for bed at least one hour before your bedtime by turning of bright lights such as computer or mobile phone screens, do not eat before bed, and sleep in a dark and quiet room.
Foods that Boost the Immune System
There are no miracle foods. Even foods that are beneficial may do the opposite of the intended effect if consumed in large enough quantities. A balanced and nutritious diet is essential to support the immune system and reduce the risk of health problems. Here are our a few tips and tricks to get such a diet.
Eat a Diet Rich in Fruits and Vegetables
- Consume foods rich in antioxidants such as vitamins A and C, which boost the immune system, such as carrot, broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, cauliflower, parsley, apple, pear, pomegranate, orange, kiwi, tangerine and grapefruit.
- Vitamin E also plays a role in strengthening the immune system, and it also makes the body more resilient against common cold and other infections. Best sources of vitamin E include leafy greens, legumes, and oily seeds such as hazelnut and walnut.
- Recent studies show that functional foods such as artichoke, orange, onion, garlic, tomato, carrot, red grape, red pepper, dark green leafy vegetables, pomegranate, apple, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower should become a bigger part of our diets. These foods contain active ingredients that promote health and reduce the risk of disease.
Eat Fish, Meat, Legumes 2-3 Days per Week
Fish, chicken, meat and legumes are essential to maintain a strong immune system. Fish, chicken and meat are a good source of protein, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B. Make sure that your weekly diet includes 2 courses of legumes and fish, and 2 to 3 courses of meat or chicken.
Drink Plenty of Water
Water is the most important substance for human beings, after oxygen. Essential for life and the metabolism of our bodies, water acts as a solvent in the digestive system, helps regulate body temperature, and serves a vital role in circulation. Metabolic waste is dissolved in water to be removed from the body. Due to all of these important roles water plays in our metabolism, dehydration can lead to a number of diseases.
Ideal daily water intake depends on height, weight, level of physical activity and any health conditions. Experts recommend a daily amount of 1.5 to 2 liters for women and 2 to 2.5 liters for men.
If you find it difficult to drink water, try flavoring it with some lemon, mint, cinnamon, strawberry or tangerine. Many people find drinking flavored water much easier.
Build a Defensive Shield with Selenium-rich Foods
The majority of the selenium in human body is stored in skeletal muscles. An essential element for the operation of the immune system, selenium is found naturally in various foods. Fish, shrimp, beef liver, turkey, beef, chicken meat, egg, dairy products, lentil, mushrooms, sesame, walnut, sunflower seeds and whole grains are all great sources of selenium. Selenium also plays a key role in preventing the development of viruses such as influenza and hepatitis C. It also accelerates the metabolism and protects against cancer.
Strengthen Immunity with Beta Glucans
Beta glucans are types of dietary fibers that enhance the immune system. As a water-soluble fiber, beta glucans are obtained from oats, oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, rye, wheat, bacteria, yeast, algae and fungi. They are effective against allergies, autoimmune diseases and infections.
Beta glucans help suppress the effects of high cholesterol, chronic fatigue syndrome, emotional stress, common cold and flu, allergies and several autoimmune diseases.
Eating 2 courses of muesli with rolled oats in breakfast or during the day is enough to take the recommended weekly dose of beta glucan, which can also be taken as a food supplement upon a physician’s recommendation.
Eat Foods High in Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in the basic function of the immune system as it helps prevent the damage caused by free radicals. It also strengthens immunity, accelerates metabolism, gives energy and improves mood. It is important to have your blood zinc levels checked during seasonal transitions. The best ways to boost your intake of zinc is to eat foods such as turkey, pumpkin seeds, legumes, seafood, wheat germs, sesame, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts and peanuts, either as main course or as snacks.
Do Not Forget Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 is a type of unsaturated fatty acid that is essential for the operation of immune system cells. It cannot be produced by the human body, so it has to be obtained from food. Fatty cold water fish such as mackerel, tuna, salmon and sardine, as well as freshwater fish such as trout are excellent sources of omega-3. Other sources of the fatty acid include walnuts, purslane and avocado.
Eating oven-baked or steamed fish twice a week, two walnuts per day and two courses of dark leafy greens like purslane, or two avocado meals per week is enough to satisfy the recommended weekly intake.
Regulate Your Digestive System with Prebiotics and Probiotics
The health of the digestive system affects the immune system as well. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that protect the body from harmful microorganisms, regulate the digestive system and strengthen the immune system. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are the essential nutrients necessary for probiotic microorganisms to thrive. Probiotics include yoghurt, kefir, boza and tarhana, while prebiotic foods are bananas, onions, garlic, leeks, whole wheat, oats, flax and barley. Probiotic deficiency can manifest in adults and children with symptoms such as gas, bloating, constipation, and frequent bouts of illness.
Small but Effective Medicine Cabinet: Garlic
Garlic contains several sulfur compounds, many amino acids that form the building blocks of proteins, and various minerals, most notably germanium and selenium, as well as calcium, copper, potassium, iron, magnesium and zinc. Thanks to this extensive list of contents, garlic helps our bodies adapt to the climate and season, and strengthens the immune system. Furthermore, bioactive compounds of garlic, such as allicin, alliin and ajoene help protect against diseases and speed up recovery with their antibiotic and anti-viral effects.
However, it is important to note that garlic can also have negative effects if taken in excessive quantities. We recommend limiting your daily consumption to two cloves of raw garlic.
Reduce Sugar Intake
Most believe that sweets give us a mood boost. The truth is that, foods high in sugar adversely affect the immune system. Frequent consumption of simple sweet food such as cakes, pastries, confectioneries and sugary drinks leads to a %50 decrease in vitamin C levels, which is used by white blood cells that play an important role in immunity, for four to six hours after consumption. Likewise, high blood sugar is also associated with reduced immunity. You can satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh and dried fruits to both reduce the harmful effect of sugar on our body while also supporting the immune system.
Support Your Immune System with Herbal Infusions
Green Tea: Promotes cellular activity and is also a good source of vitamin C. Green tea also helps alleviate headache, soreness, indigestion and depression, and serves as an immune system booster and antioxidant.
Rosehip: A valuable source of vitamin C, rosehip helps the immune system fight off infections and cold.
Linden: Strengthens the nervous system, relieves cramps, serves as a diaphoretic and diuretic, and boosts the immune system.
Sage: Increases blood flow, facilitates digestion and helps alleviate the symptoms of asthma.
Ginger: Has a thermogenic effect that helps burn fat, regulates blood sugar, relieves gas, reduces nausea and makes you feel full while also serving as an immune system booster.
Please note that you can have too much of a good think when drinking herbal infusions. It is best to limit daily consumption to three cups maximum. Pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions and taking medication should also check with their physician before drinking herbal infusions.
Harness the Power of Spices: Ginger
Characterized by its pungent aroma and flavor, ginger has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Ginger serves as an herbal remedy against common cold and flu, increasing body temperature to promote perspiration and promoting the removal of harmful substances from the body. It also cleanses the bowel of harmful bacteria and parasites, particularly those in the bowel that feed on undigested carbohydrates. Ginger is a major immune booster with its antioxidant properties. It is recommended to keep daily consumption of ginger below 4 grams, and it should not be given to children under the age of 2. If taken in the form of an herbal infusion, drink no more than 3 to 4 cups per day.
Supplements: Vitamins C, D and B12
- Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant and helps fight off infections. It boosts the immune system as well. Foods such as rosehip, tomato, onion, green pepper, red pepper, parsley, cress, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, orange, lemon, tangerine and kiwi are great sources of vitamin C.
- Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, and its deficiency in body leads to a number of conditions, including a weaker immune system. The sun is the best source of vitamin D, but it is also found in salmon, tuna, liver, eggs and milk. Individuals of all ages are recommended to check their vitamin D levels regularly and take vitamin D supplements upon their physician's recommendation.
- Vitamin B12 deficiency affects the nervous system, and may lead to depression, mood disorders, memory loss and learning problems. Foods rich in vitamin B12, such as eggs, meat, fish, milk, cheese and soy milk should be a regular part of your diet for good memory, feeling refreshed in the morning, and preventing bouts of unhappy and pessimistic moods.
Bonus: Happiness, the Key to a Strong Immune System
Aside from looking after your physical health, it is also important to enjoy life, be at peace with yourself, take up hobbies and smile often.
Âlâ Banking Psychological Consultancy is here to help you take a step in this direction with its specialists you can share your questions and concerns with.
This article was prepared with support from Dr. İlknur Pişkin, MD and Elif Bilgin Baş, Dietician.
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