
In the autumn-winter season, as well as in the early spring, we are most susceptible to infections. Coughing and wiping your nose with a tissue become ubiquitous. The common cold can be caused by nearly 200 viruses.
Are there simple tricks to reduce the risk of getting sick? Of course! Even if they do not completely protect you from the disease, they will certainly allow you to recover faster.
- 8 hours of sleep for healthAmerican researchers conducted a test during which they infected 153 participants. The results are indisputable – those who slept at least eight hours a night were three times less likely to suffer from a runny nose and fever than those who slept less. They found the justification in the growth hormones released during sleep with immune-enhancing properties.
- Say NO to drugsWe lose a lot of vitamins valuable for health with the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol or coffee, so it is worth reducing the amount consumed, and completely eliminating cigarettes from your life.
- Sport is health!Since we are already rested, it would be good to move the body. Physical exercise improves the circulation of immune system cells, making us less susceptible to colds. Nieman conducted an experiment that proved that people who take at least half an hour of exercise a day have greater immunity than couch potatoes.
- The influence of water on the hardening of the bodyAlternating showers are of great importance for strengthening immunity. They consist in pouring warm water over the body for 20-30 seconds, then use a cold stream of water for ten times shorter time. After a few repetitions, the showers should be finished with water at a temperature close to our body temperature. Unless we like such drastic temperature jumps, let’s decide to fill the cold water in the bathtub to the level of the calves. After a dozen or so minutes of walking in it, dry your feet thoroughly with a towel and massage them with a warming lotion.
- Do not forget about healthy eatingNot without significance for strengthening immunity are products rich in antioxidants, which include vitamins A, C, E. We find them in vegetables, e.g. in peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, spinach, strawberries, currants and citrus. In the off-season, we can use frozen food.
Garlic should become an indispensable element of strengthening the immune system, as it contains allicin with bactericidal properties, as well as increasing the activity of white blood cells. In addition, garlic contains vitamin C and PP, as well as proteins and carbohydrates. Let’s try to consume 1-2 cloves of garlic every day, but if we would prefer to avoid its smell, we can use garlic-based tablets.