The question that everyone is asking these days is: how to improve an immune system naturally? There are countless supplements and cure-all advertisements that pop up on social media and the internet, but, likely. These so-called solutions are not the answer to how to boost your immune system. Instead, when looking at how to strengthen immune systems, there are several natural remedies that you can count on to get the job done.
Here at ChiroCare of Florida, we're here to help patients develop comprehensive health and wellness plans, including providing dietary advice to improve their overall health. There's nothing we love more than seeing our patients succeed, improving the quality of their everyday lives to feel better. When looking at how to improve, immune system function is essential. Not only are we here to guide overall wellness, but we offer several services in-office that can help keep your body in optimal condition.
Keep reading to learn more about how your immune system affects your body, how to strengthen your immune system naturally, and how long it may take before you begin seeing an improvement. Additionally, we'll review how our chiropractors can help you achieve your goals.
How Does Your Immune System Affect Your Body?
Your immune system is one of the most essential parts of your bodily function. Not only does it help protect you against outside infections and viruses, but it also helps protect your existing internal cells against damage.
Organs, proteins, and cells all comprise your immune system. They work together as a programming system of sorts. Every time your immune system encounters any germ, it remembers it and stores that microbe in its "memory." If your body defeats the infection or virus, this internal system records the "data." Once that microbe is on file, if it enters your body again, your immune system will recognize precisely what it is and fight it more easily. This means that you're likely to get less sick if you encounter the same virus multiple times, and you're likely to have a faster recovery time.
The internal network of your immune system is truly impressive–it's almost like a computer where the different parts work together to identify, record, and fight harmful microbes based on previously stored data. Additionally, the immune system helps protect existing healthy cells. Sometimes, our healthy cells may attempt to attack each other (such as with cancer), and your immune system steps in to try to block the negative impacts.
For these reasons, knowing how to boost your immune system is crucial. There are various natural ways to do so, most of which are free, inexpensive, and easy to implement.
How to Naturally Strengthen Your Immune System
Knowing how to strengthen immune systems is important. We're here to provide six tips that you can start today to get on the right path.
1) Get a Good Night's Sleep
The amount and quality of sleep you get at night are closely tied to your immune system. The rest you get while your body resets overnight helps your immune system release a type of protein called cytokines. These proteins help fight infection and decrease inflammation. When you're not getting enough sleep, your body doesn't create enough of these proteins, which can impact your immune system.
2) Get Plenty of Exercise
We know that exercise is healthy–it helps fight obesity and aids people in maintaining a healthy body weight. Being significantly overweight or obese may decrease the number of leukocytes in your body. Leukocytes are cells that circulate throughout your body to help counteract any foreign invaders.
At ChiroCare of Florida, we have sports chiropractors and wellness consultants that can help you create a plan that fits your lifestyle. Additionally, if you're recovering from an injury and are looking to slowly get back into the game we offer physical therapy services that can help you get better faster.
3) Reduce Stress Levels
Stress is a significant contributor to how your immune system reacts under pressure. Stress leads to higher levels of cortisol, a hormone in your body. When your levels of cortisol increase, it suppresses the ability of your immune system to perform its proper duties. Additionally, it lowers the number of lymphocytes in your blood and can interfere with the communication between your white blood cells. White blood cells are the most critical part of your immune system, responsible for fighting infections, viruses, and diseases.
4) Avoid Nicotine and Alcohol
Cutting smoking and drinking out of your diet, or consuming the substances as little as possible, can boost your immune system. We know that smoking can lead to cancer, and excessive drinking can impair your body's ability to fight off disease.
5) Maintain a Healthy Diet
Your diet plays a more prominent role in strengthening your immune system than you may think. Many foods can naturally boost your immune system and are easy to incorporate into your diet. These are foods that contain crucial vitamins and minerals that we know contribute to a healthy immune system. These foods include things like citrus fruits, with high levels of vitamin C. Spinach, broccoli, almonds, turmeric, ginger, green tea, and healthy meats like lean poultry.
6) Seek Professional Assistance
Whether you're struggling with stress, eating healthy, or coming up with the right exercise plan, some professionals can help you. Mental health therapists can help with stress management, as can activities like yoga and meditation. Nutritionists can help you create a healthy and realistic diet plan, and personal trainers can help your get your exercise routine down. Additionally, services like chiropractic can help boost your immune system too.
Chiropractic care is a holistic, non-invasive, natural way to align your body and can boost your mood, improve your health, and more.
How Long Does It Take Your Immune System to Improve?
As with most good things in life, your immune system won't improve overnight. Building the quality of and strengthening your immune system is an ongoing process that never truly ends. Once you implement tips to boost your immune system, you can expect to start feeling better within a few weeks. However, you must maintain a lifestyle change to keep your immune system in check. It's a journey that never truly ends.
Can Chiropractic Care Improve Your Immune System?
The great answer is yes! Chiropractic care can help improve your immune system. Not only can chiropractic adjustments keep your body aligned so that all internal systems can correctly work together, but treatment options such as massage therapy and acupuncture can help manage stress and lower cortisol levels.
At ChiroCare of Florida, we have sports chiropractors that can guide you in creating a physical fitness plan and staff that can work with you to create a general wellness plan for ongoing health maintenance.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you're looking at how to boost your immune, chiropractic care may be a great place to start. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We'll review your medical history and discuss your wellness goals to determine a treatment plan that's right for you.
ChiroCare of Florida has eight locations throughout South Florida, with extended evening hours and weekend appointments available upon request. We make it easy to access care, no matter your needs. Additionally, we can help verify your insurance information before your first visit and inform you of any out-of-pocket costs or co-pays you may be responsible for upon receiving treatment.
Need to know how to improve your immune system? Call us today and begin the path to a healthier, happier life.
