Maintaining a healthy immune system is critical for preventing the cold and flu as we get closer to the winter season. Learn about two immune boosters that can help you stay healthy.
Fall is here and while things may be milder here in Phoenix than in other parts of the country, the cold and flu season is right around the corner.
When you’re back at work and the kids are back at school, it can feel like there’s little you can do to avoid exposure to the many viruses and bacteria. The common cold strikes millions of people every year. Most adults and children develop a cold two or three times per year.
But there are measures you can take to protect yourself from getting sick. Or at the very least, reduce your symptoms should you get sick. Healthy lifestyle habits like eating well, sleeping plenty, and exercising improve your immune system response to intruders to help you heal faster. With the right habits, it’s easier to prevent illness altogether.
But when life gets hectic and you need that extra boost, there are also helpful supplements to give your body that extra support it needs during the sickest times of the year.
Vitamin C immune boosters
Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients in our diet. The health benefits of vitamin C range from reducing the risk of heart disease, to protecting your memory, and even preventing iron deficiency.
The vitamin also plays an important role in keeping your immune system healthy in a few ways. For one, it helps produce and protect the white blood cells in your body. These white blood cells are an important part of your immune system that fight off infections in your body.
Not only are there internal immunity benefits from vitamin C, but it also helps one the biggest barrier to bacteria and viruses entering your body — your skin. Vitamin C gets transported to the surface of your skin where it’s antioxidant properties form a barrier to intruders. It has the power to help keep you healthy from the outside in.
It has proven to be a helpful protective measure especially for those who are already sick. If you’re already sick with a cold, it can reduce your symptoms and the longevity of your cold.
Glutathione immune boosters
Glutathione is an antioxidant naturally produced by your cells and has a range of health benefits.
One of the ways it helps you stay healthy is by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in your body. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in your body.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that enter your body from your environment that can damage cells. The antioxidants in your diet or in supplements help protect your cells from free radicals. Glutathione specifically helps protect your cells’ mitochondria by destroying free radicals in your body.
Not having enough Glutathione in your can lead to difficulty fighting off free radicals and leaves your cells vulnerable to damage. As a result, a deficiency in Glutathione is associated with a higher risk of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
Because of its ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, Glutathione also helps prevent autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune diseases are diseases that develop when your immune system attacks your body’s cells. While we often think of our immune system as our greatest asset against illness, there are instances where it can become too aggressive and attack normal, healthy cells. When this happens, an autoimmune disease can develop.
By getting enough Glutathione, you can reduce your risk of developing autoimmune diseases like celiac disease, psoriasis, and lupus.
Other important ways to stay healthy
When we talk about boosters and supplements, it’s important to remember that these are exactly what they say in the name — extra support for your body.
Studied and tested supplements can be powerful support for your body. But it’s important to remember the basics that keep you healthy all year round:
Get enough sleep
Sleep is one of the most overlooked influencers in our overall health. But not getting enough sleep has been linked to inflammation, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and depression.
Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night for their health to perform at optimal levels.
Eat a healthy diet
We all know the phrase “you are what you eat.” And if you want to be healthy, then it’s important to consume healthy foods.
What are healthy foods? If you want to focus on immune health, then there are certain vitamins and nutrients to make sure you get in your diet:
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- Protein rich foods like chicken, fish, or vegetarian options like beans or lentils
- Zinc which is found in chickpeas and nuts
- Vitamin D from foods like salmon and eggs
- Vitamin C from citrus fruits, bell peppers, and tomatoes
- Iron-rich foods like spinach, turkey, and legumes
Ensuring you eat a variety of fruits, veggies, and protein rich foods will give your immune system the support it needs to keep you healthy. This is especially true if you limit the amount of processed foods you eat as well.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the most worthwhile habits to get into for your health.
Exercise helps your immune system function better by:
- Helping your white blood cells circulate faster through your body so they’re more likely to identify and fight off infections
- Reducing inflammation and slow the release of stress hormones that contribute to a weak immune system
- Flushing bacteria and viruses from your lungs more efficiently
The best part is all you need is twenty or thirty minutes a day to reap the health benefits. And you can do any exercise you enjoy whether that’s hiking, lifting, swimming, jogging, or pilates. As long as you move, you help keep your body healthier.
We’re here to help you stay in peak health all year round with our top two immune boosters
We don’t just provide weight loss plans to help you stay healthy. We care about your well-rounded health and offer additional supplements for immune support.
You can get our Vitamin C injections or our Glutathione injections to help keep your immune system healthy this fall.
Visit your closest Valley Medical Weight Loss to get one of our immune-boosting injections.
