Protect your greatest Asset

Lets see a very familiar scene - you go out for a family function. Once you are back, you end up with a cold while the rest of the family seem to be fine!

"What is it with me?" you wonder... And why do some people seem to be blessed with good health irrespective of what they put their body through. The reason has to do with IMMUNITY.

The immune system is the body’s primary defense system that protects us from bacteria, virus, toxins and even cancer cells. The main parts of the immune system are white blood cells, antibodies, the lymphatic system, the spleen, the thymus and the bone marrow. Your first line of defense against any illness or infection is your own immunity system.

People having pre-existing conditions like Diabetes, Hypertension, Respiratory Illness, Heart conditions, Obesity etc tend to have a reduced immune system. For e.g. people with diabetes are more prone to get infections as high levels of sugar reduces a person's immune system. Diabetes also causes damage to nerve endings and reduces blood flow to the extremities thus increasing the body's vulnerability to lots of diseases. That’s why it is very important to focus on increasing your immunity and reducing your chances of getting any infection. These challenging times are the best time to focus on your health and set right any risks you have in the area of obesity, diabetes, cholesterol or just up your fitness quotient.

Types of Immunity:

1. Innate Immunity
Natural immunity with which we are born
2. Adaptive Immunity
The immunity we acquire throughout our lives sometimes with the help of vaccines or sometimes because of getting the disease (chickenpox)
3. Passive Immunity
This is immunity which is borrowed from a source which is available for a short time. e.g would be the immunity which a newborn baby gets because of feeding from the mother.

What reduces Immunity?

There are a lot of factors which reduces immunity. Lets look in detail at some of them.

1. Sleep

Sleep is the body's main tool for recovery. During sleep the body goes through a lot of healing activities which help to relax and reduce inflammation in the body like relaxing muscles of the heart or brain. Sleep also causes the body to release hormones that can slow breathing. While you’re sleeping, your pituitary gland releases growth hormone, which helps your body to grow and repair itself.

2. Sugar

The usage of sugar has increased manifold in the present times. It is present in almost all the processed foods currently and it is hidden under different names. When it comes to immunity, Sugar prevents vitamin c to get into the white blood cells. As we know vitamin c is one of the important nutrients to increase immunity.

3. Alcohol

Excessive drinking can have an adverse impact on your immune system. While many are aware that alcohol can damage their liver or their respiratory system, not many are aware that it can seriously bring down your body's defense. Excessive drinking may impair the function of immune cells in the lungs and upper respiratory system, leading to increased risk for pneumonia, tuberculosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome

4. Smoking

Smoking is very harmful to the body and brings down the immunity of the body. It increases our vulnerability to respiratory disorders such as pneumonia and influenza. Secondary smoke is equally harmful with research showing that it also causes heart diseases, stroke and immunity related disorders.

5. Too much Caffeine

A lot of us reach out for coffee several times a day, be it for the early morning pick me up or for the late afternoon slump. While an occasional cup of coffee could be good for you, too much caffeine over a long period of time could have adverse effects. Excess caffeine can increase your cortisol levels which could have an impact on your immune system.

6. Junk food

Poor nutrition will definitely have an impact on your immune system. Junk food or highly processed foods with little to no nutritional value in them do not nourish your body. They only provide empty calories without giving the micronutrients needed by your body. Studies reveal that your body sees the fast food as a threat to the body and activates your immune system. In the long run, it causes more harm to your body.

7. Inadequate intake of water

Dehydration will weaken your immune system. Water is very much needed to flush out toxins from our body. Healthy hydration levels also help your nose by maintaining the mucus membrane and reducing irritation levels thereby reducing coughing and other respiratory illnesses.

8. Sedentary lifestyle

Regular exercise helps to increase your metabolism as well as your immune system. Exercise helps to improve your white blood cell count according to research. So we can safely say - go ahead and take that walk - it might help you in your fight against infections also.

9. Obesity

We protect our homes with all sorts of alarms and devices, but when it comes to our body, this could be our greatest threat. Obesity welcomes along with it a host of other diseases like diabetes, hypertension, immunity issues, joint issues and so many more. This is one of the sure shot ways to bring down our immunity and everything I have mentioned above only serves to increase it. Take care of this before it is too late.

10. Stress

If there is one thing which is common to all walks of life, that is stress. It has become fashionable to say "I am stressed"; When we are stressed, our body goes into a "Fight or Flight" mode bringing it down to only the essential activities, thus leading to a compromised immunity. The stress hormone cortisol can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system and its effects are much more evident with chronic stress.

Supplements to help Immunity:

1. Tulsi

• Helps in cold, cough, flu and sore throat
• Anti Inflammatory, Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal
• Helps reduce infections naturally without side effects
• Increases T-helper cells and natural killer cells activity
• Helps to expectorate the mucus

2. Vitamin C

• Stimulates production of white blood cells
• Stimulates phagocytes (they swallow harmful bacteria)
• Increases the activity of natural killer cells
• Antihistaminic, improves allergy
• Increases production of interferon (inhibits viral replication)

3. Echinacea

• Anti-microbial, antibiotic, antiviral
•  Immuno-stimulant
• Bacteria scavenger
•  Great for colds & flu, upper respiratory infections
• Helps in white blood cells function