Having a good immune system will prevent you from catching a cold or flu. But the question really is how to get a good immune system? Or better yet how to maintain one? The best remedy would be a ‘staycation’ on a tropical island (hello Bali!) fuzz and stress-free. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for all of us, thus my seven tips to stay healthy and sane 🙂
1. Sex. Lots of it
At least one or two times per week sex will boost up your immune system, according to the research of the University of Pennsylvania. People who regularly have sex, have an ideal functioning immune system compare to people who have less sex. Their saliva has 30 percent more immune globulin, antibodies protecting the body against pathogens.
2. No stress
Stress has a big influence on your immune system. People who suffer from mental stress, are more likely to catch a cold and are higher at risk at infections. There is an important link between the brains and the immune system. Therefore psychological stress has a disastrous effect on our overall immune system. Tensions have indirectly effect on our immune system: stress causes bad eating and drinking habits.
3. Sleep enough
Sleep deprivation is killing your immune system. People who are lack of sleep, are failing their health. On the other hand, it’s not necessarily better to oversleep either. The University of San Diego researched the number of sleeping hours of one million seniors. It turns out that the healthiest seniors didn’t sleep more than six or seven hours during their whole adult life.
4. Wash your hands and sing
Did you know that eighty percent of the pathogens are spread through your hands? Unfortunately, the advice of scientists washing your hands five times a day for twenty seconds – to most of us this is hard, or at least not in our daily habits yet. But it’s true, it does prevent getting sick – assuming you dry your hands really well too. Also, the advice goes, sing the Barney song (I love you, you love me…) twice(!) just to make sure the hand soap is killing the germs.
5. Keep your friends close
Friendships are a true immune booster, and that’s a fact. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh injected a flu virus in the nose of volunteers. People who indicated having lots of friends had less chance of getting sick. Socially isolated people – who had no more than three friends – were getting sick four times more compared to the ones having more friends.
6. Don’t fight
Friendships do have a reverse side. A big argument with a dear friend is a drainer on your immune system. This theory discovered by psychologist Sheldon Cohen, who has done research over a quarter of a decade between the relation of social connections and the immune system. Having a fight for one month with your friend, partner, or a family member doubles the chances of catching a cold. Stay kind to one another 🙂
7. Don’t trust your vitamin labels
Vitamin C pills are not a necessity, although the label on the jar is saying differently. All this according to the European Consumers Association. Vitamin C is important for a good immune system, but if you think about that only two percent of the population is eating the minimum needed veggies and fruits on a daily base, while still feeling healthy. The conclusion here is eat healthily, exercise daily, sleep plenty, and avoid stress: there’s nothing more you need to boost that immune system.
