During the COVID-19 pandemic, taking steps to protect yourself from contracting the virus is essential. That means you need to prioritize boosting your immune system. Although a strong immune system always plays a crucial role in your health, right now, it’s particularly important.
Strengthening your immune response is also fairly easy. While you should remember that none of these tips are substitutes for seeking medical care if you believe you have COVID-19 or are in danger of contracting it, you should consider the following ways – from cooking healthy recipes to getting enough sleep – that you can keep your immune system strong during a pandemic.
Focus on the Right Foods
The foods we eat have major effects on our bodies and health. For instance, whole plant foods (such as basic fruits and vegetables) tend to be rich in antioxidants. That means there’s good reason to believe incorporating more of them into your diet will support your immune system. Luckily, the internet makes finding recipes with these types of ingredients very easy.
Avoid the Wrong Foods
Eating nutritious foods isn’t necessarily enough to promote a strong immune system if you’re trying to make positive changes to your diet. You also need to avoid foods that can have a negative impact on your immune system.
Specifically, it’s a good idea to avoid added sugars whenever possible. This is because added sugars increase your risk of developing obesity, and evidence suggests obesity puts you at greater risk of contracting viruses due to a weakened immune response.
Just be aware that sugar can often hide in items you might not think to avoid. For instance, too many people mistakenly assume any fruit juice product must be good for them, when in fact these beverages often contain surprising amounts of added sugar. Be sure to check all nutrition labels when buying items that could be sweet.
Sleep
Don’t underestimate how valuable a good night’s rest can be! Along with boosting your immune system, regularly getting enough sleep can improve your cognitive function, guard against stress, and much more.
Of course, you should be familiar with the various factors that can potentially interfere with your sleep if you struggle to rest at night. Sleeping in a cool room, getting enough exercise, keeping the room dark, and avoiding your digital devices for at least an hour before going to bed are all steps you can take to improve your odds of getting sufficient sleep regularly.
Once again, you still need to contact your physician if you believe you’ve contracted this virus. They’ll let you know what to do next. In the meantime, however, keeping your immune system in the best possible shape is a very effective way to protect yourself.
Rae Steinbach is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content for Yummie. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing (of course). Find her on Twitter: @araesininthesun
