Top 5 ways to support your immune system During Lock Down.
Corona Virus or Miss Rona as many of us know it as, is a flu outbreak that has managed to impact us globally in the space of a 3-4 month period at time of writing. For many (including myself) it has been a time of tentative anxiety and stress. As of present there is no cure for corona virus, however there are proactive steps that we can all implement to support our immune system against viruses.
What is the immune system?
Simply put the role of the immune system is to protect us from bacteria, viruses or any foreign objects that may be harmful to our body. When the Immune system is working at it’s optimum, it will recognise potential threats, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and differentiate these from our body’s own healthy tissue.
When our body is under attack by antigen’s (ie; viruses, bacteria, cancer cells et), the immune system steps in to provide protection. Once your body has built specific antibodies to fight off the antigen, your immune system will be stronger and thus respond faster than if they had been no previous exposure to the antigen to begin with.
There are two forms on immunity. Innate immunity and adaptive immunity.
Innate immunity is simply the immune system that you are born with that is ready to fight off antigens even before your body has been exposed to any.
Adaptive immunity on the other hand is slightly more complex, according to scientists in the field of immunology, adaptive immunity is when the body has processed and recognised the antigen and the body has created antibodies specifically designed for that antigen. After this process has been established, the adaptive immune system creates an “immune memory”.
There is not a substantial amount of studies that show that you can “enhance” your immune system, although many products claim to do just that. However, all hope is not lost, you can incorporate these steps to help support the function of your immune system ensuring that it is working to its optimum.
Eat a well-balanced diet and Take your vitamins.
How many of us have heard that healthy eating is important? But in this instance just how crucial is it to the optimum function of our immune system? Many scientists have coined the gut “the second brain” and as the body is interconnected, it only makes sense that a healthy well-nourished stomach helps support a healthy immune system.
Numerous studies have shown nutritional deficiencies to weaken the immune system and increase our exposure to disease as a result. This is because prolonged malnutrition and micronutrient (low on vitamins) deficiencies have been shown to affect Cytokine response.
What exactly is Cytokines? “Cytokines are proteins that are produced by cells of the immune system. Cytokines help to regulate different inflammatory responses” through this process Cytokines play a crucial role in regulating the immune response.
As we have established the immune response is how your body identifies and defends itself against antigens.
Taking this into account, it is important that we pay close attention to our nutrition, eating a balanced diet that is balanced in all macro-nutrients. Paying close attention to our fiber intake is also essential as it prevents any micro-nutrient deficiencies.In support of this studies have shown that:
“A high in sugar diet reduces the ability of white blood cells to produce fighting agents known as phagocytes and has shown to greater indication of inflammatory cytokines in the blood” this is important because prolonged Inflammation in the body causes damage to healthy cells and organs and as a result leads to fatal diseases such as cancer for example.
Fueling our bodies with citrus fruits such as Oranges, lemons, mandarins, grapefruit that are all high in Vitamin C, plays a crucial role in supporting and strengthening our immune system. If you are someone that does not take well to vegetables, perhaps consider a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement.
If you do not get enough fish in your diet, perhaps consider taking omega 3 supplementation, as it can convert to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that help to decrease inflammation in the body.
Vitamin D has also been highlighted as a crucial vitamin for a well-functioning immune system as studies suggest that “vitamin D helps to stimulate the production of peptide substances in the body that are able to fight off bacteria, fungi and viruses”. For further emphasis, Michael Holick from the department of medicine states:
“controlled trails published in 2010 highlight the importance of improving vitamin D status in children and adults to reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and cardiovascular disease”.
You can get Vitamin D from foods but the richest is the sun and seen as England is not rich in that, Vitamin D supplementation would be ideal.
2. Exercise immunology,
Second on my list is exercise. It is well known that exercise is a crucial pillar of healthy living, as there is an endless list of benefits of it.
Not only is regular exercise in this time period important for our mental wellbeing but it also plays a great role in supporting our immune system as it has been known to improve circulation, which in turn allows the cells in the immune system to work efficiently.
Studies have shown the immune system to be “very responsive to exercise with the extent and duration reflecting the degree of physiological stress imposed by the workload”. Studies have shown that “acute” physical lifestyle to “diminish the risks of contracting a range of communicable diseases including viral and bacterial infections”. For example, studies of marathon runners, have shown that these individuals report fewer days missed from school or work due to illness compared to the general population. In a study of 1,212 marathon runners the mean number of sickness days reported over a year was 1.5 days.
Even though this is fantastic, there are also several studies that show that excessive bursts of training known as “over training” can in fact lower the immune system. Therefore, it is important to maintain a balance. 30 minutes of light movement everyday can be very helpful, this can be in any form, going for a walk, dancing in your room, a HIIT workout, yoga, whatever you like, just ensure you move.
3. Manage your stress levels and Get enough sleep
Third on my list is managing your stress levels and ensuring you are getting good amounts of sleep.
Sleep helps to maintain the optimum function of the immune system. For example, studies have shown that sleep deprivation affects the number of circulating white blood cells in the body.
I know, it can be very tempting to stay up late on Netflix or House party, have your fun but ensure you get 7-9 good quality hours of sleep.
The Central nervous system and immune system communicate directly, therefore if we are sleep deprived, this causes a delay in our immune systems response against invading antigens. To further illustrate my point, multiple human and animal studies have shown a lack of sleep to lower immune response and decrease antibodies in the body.
4. Makeshift sauna
Fourth on my list is steaming your face at home. This can easily be done by bringing a pot of water to boil, adding Vicks VapoRub, putting your head over the water and throwing a towel over your head. This is a great home remedy to help with the reduction of inflammation in the body and bringing relief to your airways too.
Some studies have proposed that cold and flu sickness may have decreased among those with regular visits to the sauna. A study published by the institute of public health and clinical nutrition found that C-reactive protein levels were lower in the male participants with the highest frequency of sauna visits compared to those with one sauna session per week or none. This is very relevant because, Serum C-reactive protein is an “acute phase inflammatory protein” which is responsible for indicating levels of inflammation in the body – a low Serum C-reactive protein level indicates less inflammation.
In addition to this Cox Et al studied the influence of sauna on pulmonary function in 12 male participants with “obstructive pulmonary disease” and concluded that the sauna caused improvements in lung function in these participants. There is also a vast amount of evidence that also suggests that sauna usage has other health benefits “such as reduction in vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive diseases” and much more.
I know most of us cannot make it to a Sauna now. However, you can easily create a makeshift sauna environment for yourself at home by following the method stated above. These studies suggest that regular sauna usage may be suitable to reduce the levels of inflammation.
5. Limit your intake of Alcohol
I know, for many of us this one is hard. Some extra time at home. Some extra lounging, some extra Netflix and chilling. Leads to some extra glasses of wine too, right?
I am not saying don’t enjoy yourself and have a few glasses. However, I am simply saying don’t overdo it. Evidence shows excessive intake of alcohol has been known to supress and delay the immune system response, leading to an increase chance of infections and considering the current climate that is not ideal.
This is because several studies show that excessive usage of “alcohol significantly disrupts the GI and respiratory tract immune barriers.” This is significantly important as our respiratory tract is responsible for our breathing (corona can affect our respiratory system – if we can’t breathe, we die) and GI for the processing of food.
