Boosting the immune system is the talk of the town these days due to one of our monstrous nemesis ‒ the Coronavirus. But sadly, thanks to the massive number of so-called health gurus, the reality of the immune system has become extremely shady. It seems like the talk of the town is that we all need to “BOOST” it in order to be healthy and fight illnesses.
But is it really the case?
I don’t think so!
What Research Says about the immune system
According to Harvard Medical School, a boosted immune system indirectly means a hyperactive immune system.
A hyperactive immune system does not benefit your body; instead, it plays a role in making your body allergic to nontoxic substances. Generally, this problem is seen in people with autoimmune disorders that may be triggered by stress[1]. This means that certain genes in your body function abnormally, causing allergic reactions and diseases such as systematic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, rhinitis, and many more.
Can You Improve Immune Function?
Now here’s the deal. You cannot boost your immune function; instead, you can strengthen it. What’s the difference? As described earlier, boosting means making your immune function hyperactive, whereas strengthening implies that you are providing food and nourishment for it to work efficiently.
An ideal balance between exercising, a good and healthy diet, and low-stress levels are vital for firming up your immunity.
There are several ways that you can Strengthen Your immune System. Check out my blog HERE. Other ways are;
- Eating a healthy and nourishing diet
- Exercising regularly
- Staying away from stress, smoking, and alcohol
- Controlling your sugar and salt intake
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle to avoid chronic diseases
How does immunity weaken
Foods that are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates may cause a spike in blood glucose levels and can disrupt immune function. The sugar present in sodas, alcoholic drinks, confectionaries, processed foods, and refined carbs restrict immune system cells. This induces chronic metabolic inflammation, also known as Metainflammation[2] [3]. That consequently weakens and slows down the immune response.
Stress & Immunity
Numerous factors can hamper immune function, such as,
- Old age
- Poor diet
- Low physical activity
- Environmental toxins
- Chronic diseases
- Lack of sleep & rest
And above all, Stress.
American Psychological Association says stress is the number one factor that can wreck your immunity by lowering your natural killer cells that are vital for fighting viral infections and tumors.
Can You Trust All The Health Gurus Claiming To Boost Immunity?
Calling all the information fake would be unjust. As stated earlier, the myth of boosting immune system function is quite wrong in terms of its functionality. Similarly, when the internet tells you to take supplements for better immunity, what it actually means is that you need nutrient-dense foods to help your immune system. Your diet should be nutritious and healthy in order to keep the diseases at bay.
The Final Takeaway
The best you can do is strive to live a healthy lifestyle; both physically and mentally. Don’t try to control things that are out of your control. Do your best and hope for the best.
And lastly, stay happy and stress-free!
xoxo
Xio 💚
Links:
//www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-eating/what-can-you-do-to-improve-your-immune-system
[1] Stojanovich, L., & Marisavljevich, D. (2008). Stress as a trigger of autoimmune disease. Autoimmunity reviews, 7(3), 209-213. [2] Christ, A., Lauterbach, M., & Latz, E. (2019). Western diet and the immune system: an inflammatory connection. Immunity, 51(5), 794-811. [3] Li, C., Xu, M. M., Wang, K., Adler, A. J., Vella, A. T., & Zhou, B. (2018). Macrophage polarization and meta-inflammation. Translational Research, 191, 29-44.
