IMMUNITY FIGHTS CORONA

The proverb “prevention is better than cure” has got much more meaning during this pandemic. Covid-19 was declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation. As the number of new covid-19 cases are increasing each day with no vaccine available, it is very important to stay safe and prevent it. A preeminent player in the fight against this virus is our immune system. Your dietary practices plays a key aspect in determining your overall health and immunity. The immune system protects the body against potentially damaging foreign bodies. Healthy immune system identifies and attacks a variety of threats, including viruses, disease, bacteria and parasites, while distinguishing them from the body's own healthy tissue.

A healthy lifestyle – not smoking, drinking little or no alcohol, eating a nutritious diet, sleeping well, doing regular exercise and mental well-being – helps our immune systems to be in the best shape possible to tackle foreign bodies. The covid-19 pandemic has turned the world’s consciousness to the immune system, the body’s defence against disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and other organisms that we touch, ingest and inhale every day. Individuals in certain pre-existing illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, cardio vascular disease, and respiratory issues have low immunity and are at a higher risk of having coronavirus complications. Risk also increases with age as the general immunity reduces as you get older. Good news is while there is no magic pill but there are tried-and-true strategies to take your immunity up a notch. A healthy lifestyle – not smoking, drinking little or no alcohol, eating a nutritious diet, sleeping well, doing regular exercise and mental well-being – helps our immune systems to be in the best shape possible to tackle foreign bodies. The covid-19 pandemic has turned the world’s consciousness to the immune system, the body’s defence against disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and other organisms that we touch, ingest and inhale every day. Individuals in certain pre-existing illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, cardio vascular disease, and respiratory issues have low immunity and are at a higher risk of having coronavirus complications. Risk also increases with age as the general immunity reduces as you get older. Good news is while there is no magic pill but there are tried-and-true strategies to take your immunity up a notch.

1. Improve your diet- Consume more of immunity boosting foods like citrus fruits, broccoli, nuts, ginger, garlic, spinach, papaya, kiwi, poultry, turmeric. Eat supplements rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. Probiotics like Yoghurt, Yakult and fermented food are also excellent sources.
2. Stay Hydrated- Drink minimum 12 glasses of water daily. Water helps to flush out toxins from the body and stay healthy.
3. Regular Exercise- Regular exercise improves metabolism, which has a direct correlation with body immunity. Moderately. 45minutes/5 days a week of moderate exercise is recommended.
4. Keep Vitamins in mind- there are three most important vitamins which plays crucial role in boosting your immunity. These are: VITAMIN-C (citrus fruits, oranges, strawberries, spinach, kale, grapefruits, broccoli, etc). VITAMIN B6 (salmon, tuna, chickpeas, dairy products, green vegetables, etc). VITAMIN E (mainly in nuts and seeds). 5. Don’t compromise on sleep- Good sleep for 7-8 hours is the great way to build your immunity. Lack of sleep can cause mental illness, and poor overall health.
6. Mental well-being- It is important to maintain your mental health. Stress is known to have adverse effect on immunity.
7. Supplements- To build your immunity well, it is advisable to take Vitamin-C supplements in daily dose.

Thus, it is very important to understand the foremost of your immunity in fighting against this covid-19 and all other forthcoming diseases and health problems.