Respiratory diseases are rampant, and autoimmunity is the best protective suit. Take stock of 10 things that destroy immunity. Come and check yourself to see if you have done it. Lack of
Sleep Lack of sleep can make you more susceptible to viruses or germs, and once infected, it may take longer for you to recover. This is because your body cannot produce enough infection-fighting cells and antibodies, because only during sleep does the body release certain proteins (cytokines) that help the immune system.
Anxiety
Just the thought of anxiety can weaken the immune response in as little as 30 minutes. Constant stress can cause more damage and make it harder for you to fight off flu, herpes, shingles, and other viruses.
Lack of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is needed for strong bones and healthy blood cells, plus it helps boost the immune system. Vitamin D is found in eggs, fatty fish and fortified foods such as milk and cereals. Sunlight is another important source. In the summer, 5-15 minutes on your hands, face and arms, usually 2-3 times a week, is enough. In winter, it takes a little longer.
Eating too few
of these foods helps the body make more white blood cells needed to fight off infections: Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds contain high amounts of zinc, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, and other nutrients needed for a healthy body. Plant foods also contain fiber, which helps to reduce the proportion of fat in the body, thus enhancing the immune response. Eating too
much fat
in high-fat foods can hinder the fight between white blood cells and bacteria. Long-term high-fat diets can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut that helps the immune response. Choose low-fat dairy products without added sugar and lean proteins such as seafood, turkey and chicken, or lean beef with obvious fat cut off. In addition, obesity seems to be more likely to cause flu and other infections, such as pneumonia.
Very little outdoor activity
Sunlight can stimulate immune cells called T cells in the immune system to help fight infections. There are other benefits to being outdoors, such as the many plants in the woods that produce plant fungicides and other substances that may enhance immune function when breathed in.
Smoking
cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or any other source of nicotine weakens the body’s ability to fight germs. E-cigarettes do, too, and other chemicals in e-cigarette liquids, in addition to nicotine, can also suppress immune responses. Drinking
too much
alcohol just once can weaken the body’s ability to fight germs for up to 24 hours. Long-term excessive drinking weakens the body’s ability to repair itself, which increases the risk of diseases such as liver disease, pneumonia, tuberculosis and some cancers. It’s better not to drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol, women should try to limit it to one drink a day and men should limit it to two drinks a day.
Sadness
There is evidence that sadness, especially if it lasts for a long time, can suppress the body’s immunity. The effects may last for 6 months, or longer if the grief is deep or unrelieved.
Lack of exercise
Regular aerobic exercise helps the body fight diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. This is because exercise helps blood flow through the body more efficiently, which means that antibacterial substances get where they need to go. Scientists continue to study exactly how exercise helps strengthen the immune system.
Wen/Yang Jingang
(Fuwai
Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences)
