Top tips to build your immune system during the coronavirus

The coronavirus outbreak has contributed to many unfortunate deaths in the past few months. It’s a scary and worrying time for many, including those of an older generation. Throughout the pandemic there have been many warnings from health experts that elderly people are considered vulnerable to the virus. This means many of them have had to isolate themselves in their own home for a lengthy period of time.

There is currently no vaccine availablel for the coronavirus at the moment, but there are steps you can take to ensure your immune system can be supported against viruses, colds and flu symptoms.

Reduce stress

Stress is known to make the body vulnerable to infection. This is because the immune system becomes weak from the release of the hormone cortisol due to stress. This boosts inflammation which is a common substance that can begin the process of infection in your body.

It also impacts the white blood cells in the body which are cells required to fight infection and keep your immune system in a fighting state.

It’s important that you try to prevent the cause of stress through heavy breathing techniques or defusing yourself from certain situations that is causing it to build up.

Consume plenty of healthy foods

Fruit and vegetables contain various vitamins and antioxidants that can work wonders in protecting your body against viruses. In particular, foods that contain vitamin A are key in keeping the mucosal linings in our nose and lungs that can fight off infection.

Other foods that you should consider eating include oranges and red fruits such as melons and apricots. In some lifestyle choices, it’s not possible to consume certain foods so the use of probiotic supplements are always positive alternatives to consider if you’re struggling to get the immune system boost through your normal diet.

Get as much sleep as your body needs

Getting the required sleep and rest throughout the day is important to fighting off infections. If we use up all the energy and nutrients that our body absorbs from our food intake, it can leave us run down and vulnerable to infection.

The recommended amount of sleep you should get as an elderly adult is between 7-8 hours to ensure you can be alert and rested. This should be relatively easy to obtain considering the spare hours that are now available throughout the day.

Regularly wash your hands

A regular announcement that has been urged from many health experts and government officials is the importance of washing your hands regularly. Bacteria and viruses can linger easily on dirty surfaces. Keeping up clean hygiene is crucial when trying to keep healthy.

At every possible occasion where you feel you might have touched a contaminated or unhygienic surface, it’s important to wash your hands straight after. Do this with water and soap for about 20 seconds which is the recommended time you should take to wash your hands by health organisations.

Partake in regular exercise where you can

This may be more difficult for the elderly people considering the guidelines for you to isolate in your homes. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of your surroundings to still partake in exercise and workouts.

Regular exercise allows frequent circulation in the body. This means your immune cells can travel through the body more effectively, even through mild workouts such as walking. Utilise your garden to do laps if possible.

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