Tips for strong defenses
- Sleep well and relax
- Eat a balanced diet
- Exercise
- Apply cold
- Don't forget to wash your hands
- Do not smoke or drink alcohol
- Laugh a lot
APPLY COLD
Your grandmother's tips are still powerful aids for your immune system. The alternation between cold and hot through cold showers provides powerful stimuli for the immune system. For example, if you have taken a hot shower beforehand, a brief cold shower is good for the body.
WASH YOUR HANDS
One of the most effective tips for preventing a cold is protecting yourself from infection through good hygiene. Most pathogens are transmitted through the hands. By thoroughly washing your hands with soap, you reduce the viral and bacterial load, and therefore the risk of infection. Keeping your hands away from your face is also important. In particular, you should avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose with unclean hands.
QUIT SMOKING AND ALCOHOL
Smoking and alcohol weaken the immune system and leave a person defenseless against illness.
TOMATOES AGAINST CANCER
Scientists have reported that tomatoes are protective against cancer. Some studies have shown that their strongest effects are particularly on prostate cancer, pancreatic tumors, ovarian cancer, and stomach cancer.
It is thought that lycopene, found in high concentrations in tomatoes, provides this effect. Lycopene acts as a free radical scavenger, meaning it neutralizes substances that have damaging effects on cells.
STOP DIARRHEA WITH YOGURT
Probiotic foods strengthen the immune system. In a large-scale study, probiotics were found to reduce the risk of diarrhea.
The effect of probiotics has been proven for:
Diarrhea caused by pathogens
Diarrhea caused by travel
Diarrhea caused by medications (antibiotics)
However, yogurt is not a miracle cure; probiotics can prevent diarrhea caused by antibiotics. But it may not show one hundred percent the same effectiveness in everyone. Each yogurt contains different bacterial cultures, so not every product is equally effective for everyone. How many probiotics a person needs to take to achieve an anti-diarrheal effect also depends on the bacterial subspecies consumed. This is usually not stated on the packaging.
BREAST MILK PROTECTS
Researchers have long reported that breast milk is healthy. For this reason, breastfeeding infants for the first 4 to 6 months is strongly recommended. Breast milk contains enzymes and antibodies that protect the infant from inflammation and infection. Experts also predict that there are many bioactive substances in breast milk that are not yet known.
OILY FISH STRENGTHENS
Fish oil is healthy for the immune system of both children and adults. According to studies conducted, omega-3 fatty acids can prevent allergies by preventing the immune system from overreacting to foreign substances such as pollen or animal hair. At the same time, omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce autoimmune diseases or chronic inflammation. Oily fish such as salmon and tuna contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
EXCESS WEIGHT INCREASES THE BURDEN
Being overweight is a burden on the body's defense system. This is because fat tissue triggers inflammatory events. The immune system is constantly dealing with this inflammation and remains in a continuous state of alert. Overweight people heal more slowly after operations, because the body's own defense system is forced to neglect the surgical wound.
You can benefit from my book "The Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Guide" for more information on this and similar topics.