Boost Your Immunity During Seasonal Changes

Getting sick of changing seasons too easily? It’s the same each year: winter ends, spring temperatures start to rise and you catch down with a cold. You’re definitely not alone in this.

We can’t deny the fact that getting ill is a part of life. But if you often find yourself down with a cold with even slight weather changes, your immune system might be to blame. Strengthening your immune system has become the need of the hour. If you work on building healthy habits today, it may help you cut down on sick days in this changing season. Wondering how? Continue reading to find out.

How Does Your Immune System Work?

We all know our immune system is the first line of defense that protects our bodies from harmful substances and toxins. As long as this complex system is functioning smoothly, we don’t notice that it’s there.

How does your immune system actually work?

Your immune system works on:

Your immune system gets triggered by antigens. Antigens are the substances or structures that your immune system recognizes as foreign. The immune system creates a protective shield as the first line of defense to stop these antigens from entering your body. These barriers include:

Skin: Skin acts as a mechanical barrier and fends off pathogens
Mucus membranes: Another mechanical barrier. Inhaled particles and harmful toxins get trapped in the mucus and are transported out of the body.
Stomach acid: Destroys invaders ingested through food and fluids
Enzymes in saliva, tear fluid, and urine: Creates antibacterial compounds to avoid the deep penetration of pathogens.
Reflexes: Shields your body from external influences. Sneezing and coughing are examples.

For example, when you get that little itchy red bum on your skin after a mosquito bite, your immune system is doing its job and keeping unwanted pathogens out.

If any of the antigens manage to bypass these protective barriers, your immune system responds by producing White Blood Cells (WBCs), proteins, and chemicals to attack and damage the foreign invaders. These WBCs and chemicals actively find these antigens and remove them before they have a chance to multiply. What if the immune system fails to stop the antigens at the first go? It strengthens its response to fight off antigens as they continue to multiply.

Benefits of a Strong Immune System

When your immune system functions as it should, you will be better equipped to handle the challenges your body faces, from weather changes and exposure to pathogens to stress and illnesses ranging from cancer to the common cold.

Here are some benefits of a strong immune system:

Robust Protection
Your immune system is your body’s best shield against environmental threats, from free radicals to seasonal changes. With robust protection, you’re better prepared to stay healthy and resilient.
Faster Healing
When your immune system is strong, your wounds heal faster. When your skin is cut or scraped, immune cells regulate the healing process, which is a complex set of stages involving various cell types. First, platelets form a clot to stop bleeding and a protective scab. Immune cells like neutrophils then arrive at the wound site to clean out bacteria and debris. More immune cells, like macrophages, arrive and switch to repair mode. They release growth factors to rebuild tissue structure. This temporary repair structure is replaced by a stronger one. As the wound heals, myofibroblasts, which are similar to muscle cells, contract to close the wound fully. If your immune system is weak, your wounds linger for a long time and have a hard time healing.
Reduced Fatigue
Getting enough sleep but still feeling constantly exhausted? If so, it might be time to consider what your immune system is trying to tell you. When your immune system is compromised, your energy levels often take a hit as well. This happens because your body is conserving energy to power your immune system function, helping it fight off germs.
Improved Mood
Ever wonder why people with colds often seem grumpy? It’s no coincidence—when our immune system is under threat, it can drag our mood down too. When you have a strong immune system, your body isn’t constantly battling infections and you’re more likely to feel energized, focused, and emotionally balanced.
Better Gut Health
Did you know 70-80% of your immune system cells reside in your gut? So, a strong immune system can keep your gut health in check, supporting digestion and nutrient absorption. With a balanced gut microbiome, you’re less likely to face digestive discomfort or inflammation, keeping you feeling your best.
Clear Skin
As mentioned before, your skin is your first line of defense, playing the role of a protective barrier between your bloodstream and the external environment. By now, you understand how your immune system repairs when your skin is damaged. When acne-causing bacteria attacks your skin, immune system cells release antimicrobials to help curb the bacterial infection. Thus, a strong immune system works behind the scenes to keep your skin healthy, clear, and glowing.

What are the Factors Influencing Immune System Health?

Your immune system health is all about balance. Here are some key factors that can affect your immune system:

Unhealthy Diet: Can a bad diet affect your immune system? Absolutely! Unhealthy eating habits interfere with the function of your immune cells, such as phagocytes and neutrophils. Processed foods and foods high in refined carbohydrates can increase inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to immune system weakness.
Sedentary lifestyle: Is your lifestyle too sedentary? If so, your immune system is at risk. Research has shown a strong link between exercise and immune system health. Physical activity helps your immune cells move throughout your body to identify the pathogens and maintains their presence for up to 3 hours post-exercise, offering extra time to detect intruders and keep you from getting ill.
Lack of Quality Sleep: Struggling to get consistent, restful sleep? This could leave your immune system vulnerable. Immunity and Sleep share a bidirectional relationship. Did you know getting sufficient good quality sleep supports a well-balanced immune system, boosts your innate and adaptive immunity, improves vaccine response, and reduces the severity of allergic reactions?
Stress: Stress taking a toll on your health? That’s not a mere coincidence! Long-term stress weakens your immune system by reducing your body’s lymphocytes—the white blood cells that fight infections—making you more susceptible to infections like the common cold.

How to Boost Your Immune System This Changing Season?

You may follow the following simple lifestyle tactics and strategies to boost your immunity as seasons change. No, it’s not rocket science—these steps are easier to implement than you might think.

1. Healthy Eating Habits

Following a healthy diet ensures your body is getting the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to boost the production of white blood cells. Vitamins A and D are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin C increases the synthesis of white blood cells. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and zinc improves immune cell function. So it’s important to include:

Fresh fruits and vegetables: Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, red bell peppers,, green vegetables
Whole grains and nuts
Low-fat dairy
Liver, fish, red meat, poultry

Staying hydrated can help flush the toxins out of your body and keep your respiratory mucus thin, making it easier to clear out when you’re under the weather.

2. Regular Exercise

Did you know only 1 in 5 adults and teens meet the recommended level of physical activity? If you’re someone struggling to get started, the incredible benefits of exercise for your immune system might motivate you to lace up your shoes and get moving.

But are you still worried about pushing yourself too hard?

Then Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) is the perfect solution for you. With just 15 minutes of EWOT a day, you can reap the benefits of a 90-minute cardio session. Yes, you read that right!

Now, let’s take a look at how EWOT can benefit your immune system.

EWOT can:

Enhance oxygen delivery to your cells, tissues, and organs
Detoxify your body to strengthen immune function
Reduce inflammation by improving circulation
Boost the production of antibodies and white blood cells

3. Quality Sleep

Having trouble falling asleep or not getting uninterrupted sleep? You’re not alone. The CDC reports that 1 in 3 adults don’t get the recommended 7 hours of sleep. Now, you might be wondering what you can do to improve your sleep and strengthen your immune system function. Here are some tips to help you sleep better:

Set a fixed sleep schedule. and follow it consistently.
Avoid using mobile phones, tablets, and laptops before bedtime.
Practice relaxation techniques such as Optimal Breathing Exercises and Techniques.
Follow positive routines during the day — spend time outdoors, reduce alcohol consumption, stay physically active, avoid smoking, and cut down on caffeine later in the day.

4. Stress Management

If you are often under stress, identifying your stressors — whether they’re related to work, relationships, financial problems, or family issues — can help you manage your stress levels.

Struggling to manage stress?

No worries, make sure you have an effective stress coping strategy that works best for you. This can include, but is not limited to breathing exercises, yoga, physical exercise, journaling, or other healthy practices.

Avoid unhealthy ways to cope with stress, like alcohol consumption, smoking, stress eating etc. These behaviors weaken your immune system, just like stress itself. Always stick to healthy coping mechanisms to keep your immune system healthy and strong.

Takeaway

In short, maintaining a robust immune system during the changing season demands a holistic approach—exercise, balanced diet, quality sleep, stress management, and healthy lifestyle choices. Stick with these, and you’ll feel healthier, more resilient, and your immune system will thank you!