Dystopian Survival : Boosting the Immune System

By Tim Gamble 

Please Note: I am NOT a doctor or other medical professional. Nothing in this article is meant as professional advice, nor is it an attempt to diagnose or treat any illness or medical condition. If you have specific medical questions or concerns, please consult with a licensed medical professional. The following information is meant only for general educational purposes. A list of sources appears at the bottom of the article.

Ways to Boost the Human Immune System

Generally speaking, anything that improves overall health will help boost the immune system – the body’s natural defenses against disease. The immune system also repairs the damage done once the body does become sick. There are a number of things that can be done to boost the human immune system.

1) Eat right, and not too much. You are what you eat, as the saying goes. A healthy diet is low in sugar, white potatoes, and grains, high in real veggies (leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), contains some fruits (don’t go overboard or you will get too much sugar), and has plenty of good protein (meat & fowl) and healthy fats (fatty fish, olive oil, tree nuts, etc.). Of course, use commonsense and don’t eat foods that you are allergic to. And don’t eat too much food. Strive to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. 

2) Stay hydrated. Surprisingly, studies have proven that many modern people are suffer from mild dehydration on a regular basis, despite having ready access to clean drinking water. This is bad for the immune system. Stay well hydrated.  Good sources of hydration: water, unsweetened teas. Horrible sources of hydration: soda pop, alcohol. 

3) Be physically active. Regular exercise is very good for the body and the immune system. Being a couch potato is not. You don’t have to be a professional bodybuilder or a world class athlete. You do have to do something to keep yourself physically active. 

4)  Get plenty of sleep. An often overlooked, but extremely important, factor in the human body’s ability to fight off disease and repair itself is sleep. In today’s modern 24/7 world, most people don’t get enough sleep (7 to 8 hours a night on a consistent basis). In fact, many people ignorantly brag about how little sleep they can “get by on.” Sleep is too important to ignore if you want a immune system that functions at its best.  

5) Stop damaging your immune system. Certain activities suppress the immune system, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, using illegal drugs, abusing or misusing legal drugs, and consuming too much sugar. You MUST stop these if you want your immune system to achieve peak performance. 

6) Fresh air and sunlight. Whether you think humans were designed by God or by nature, the fact is humans were designed for the outdoors. However, most modern people live the vast majority of their lives indoors – in their homes, at school, at work, at church, at the store, and while driving. This is both unnatural and unhealthy. Humans need fresh and and sunshine. Oh, and don’t fear the Sun. There is no connection between sunlight and skin cancer. The problem isn’t with sunlight, which humans need both physically and emotionally. Rather the connection to skin cancer is with getting severely and repeatedly sun burned. Normal exposure to sunlight is normal and healthy. 

7)  Destress. Stress, particularly chronic stress, is known to contribute to inflammation, high blood pressure, high levels of stress hormones, high blood sugar, and heart disease, among other things. Stress also acts to suppress the immune system, weakening the body’s defenses against all forms of disease. Work on eliminating stress from your life, and better managing the stress you do have. 

8) Emotional and Spiritual Health. There is a connection between mind and body. People should pay as much attention to their emotional and spiritual health as they do their physical health. It is all interconnected. Overcome your addictions, whatever they may be. Pray. Read the Bible. Reconnect with your spouse, family and friends. Spend time in nature, enjoy beauty, art, music… 

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