How to boost an adult’s immunity at home

Almost every person knows that his body has an immune defense that prevents the development of a large number of diseases. However, not everyone knows how it is structured, how the protective function is implemented and whether it can be influenced. This is a rather complex mechanism, consisting of many cells, reactions and processes. By contacting the MedArt medical center, you can get qualified advice from specialists who will diagnose, prescribe treatment and tell you how to boost the immunity of adults and children.

What is this

Immunity is a rather complex way of protecting the body from microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, parasites, dangerous substances (for example, poisons or toxins) and foreign cells (cancer cells are formed every day, which are destroyed by the immune defense, which prevents the onset of the oncological process). This is a real protector who guards our health every second. It is he who is responsible for the formation of antibodies, thanks to which re-infection with certain diseases (for example, chickenpox) does not occur or they occur in a milder form.

Immunity is carried out by different mechanisms, which are divided into 2 main types:

Nonspecific - these are the skin and mucous membranes, the excretory function of the kidneys, intestines and liver, lymph nodes. They act as a natural barrier that prevents the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms. Phagocytosis also belongs to this group. This is the process of absorption of foreign particles by cells with their further utilization.
Specific - provided by immune cells (lymphocytes) necessary to form a response to the action of certain antigens.

In order to understand how to boost immunity at home, you need to know about its main types. In modern medical practice, it is divided into congenital and acquired. In the first case, antibodies appear in the blood from the moment of birth (most of them are transmitted to the child from the mother), and in the second, they are produced throughout life, after an illness or vaccination.

Brief conclusions

Immunity can decline at any age.
This can happen both for internal reasons and under the influence of external factors.
There are ways to strengthen the immune system on your own, but only if the body works without serious disruptions.
To restore the body's defenses, you can contact an immunologist or a doctor of anti-aging medicine.
The essence of the doctor’s anti-age approach is to eliminate various “shackles” on the immune system.

Causes of decreased immunity

Since raising immunity is not easy, it is imperative to eliminate the causes that contribute to its decline. Among them:

Poor nutrition. Many modern people live in an active rhythm of life, in which there is very little free time. Not everyone manages to have a full breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many people are content with quick snacks that can give them a feeling of fullness. However, this causes significant harm to health, which later develops into serious problems. It is extremely important to consume enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, trace elements and vitamins every day. The diet should always include vegetables and fruits, meat and fish.
Incorrect loads. Playing sports should be a constant part of any person's life. But not everyone manages to find time for exercise. Moreover, many approach the issue of physical activity incorrectly, being overly involved in sports. You need to understand that studying, working and even doing household chores also wastes energy that needs to be restored.
Unhealthy sleep. The daily norm of proper sleep should be at least 8 hours. Chronic lack of sleep, which is a pandemic in modern society, negatively affects mental and physical health.
Bad habits. It is impossible to boost your immunity without quitting smoking or drinking alcohol.
Poor environmental conditions. People who live or stay for a long time in polluted places are much more likely to get sick and suffer from chronic diseases.
Uncontrolled use of medications (especially antibiotics). Only the attending physician should prescribe medications, their dosage and duration of use. This will help prevent addiction, lack of the desired therapeutic effect and the occurrence of adverse reactions.

Physical exercise

In the modern world, sedentary work is very popular, which contributes to physical inactivity. Increasingly, we prefer to travel by car or public transport instead of walking. Moderate physical activity improves immunity

. Movement in a person's life is necessary.

The most important thing is moderation. Since systematic and dosed physical exercise will strengthen the immune system, but hard physical labor will do the opposite. When playing sports, a person’s muscular and circulatory systems are activated. Mental activity increases.

What moderate physical activity is indicated: walking, light jogging, breathing exercises, morning exercises, visiting a fitness club and much more. The choice of sport should be approached individually. It is necessary to take into account age, climatic conditions, health status, and personal preferences.

When playing any sport without desire, it is difficult to count on long or productive training.

Immune-related diseases

You need to understand that immunodeficiency can be a consequence of various diseases, which can only be dealt with with the help of medical intervention. In this case, as a rule, drugs that boost immunity are prescribed to adults or children. However, their appointment is possible only after preliminary diagnosis and diagnosis.

Primary immunodeficiency develops when the immune organs are damaged. This:

Combined immunodeficiency. Among them is an immunodeficiency state, accompanied by eczema and bleeding of the skin, as well as defective lymphocyte syndrome.
Violation of humoral immunity. One of the most common pathologies is Bruton's syndrome, characterized by a lack of immunoglobulins and a high concentration of certain antibodies.
Gitlin's syndrome. This is not only a drop in immune defense, but also a disruption in the growth and development of the entire organism.
Damage to immune cells. This is a high sensitivity to hypoplasia of the thymus, as well as certain types of congenital enzymopathies.
Neutropenia. It can be either congenital or acquired. It is characterized by an extreme or significant drop in the concentration of neutrophil leukocytes.

Before you become interested in how to boost the immunity of an adult, you need to familiarize yourself with diseases that can lead to the development of secondary immunodeficiency. The most popular among them is AIDS. This disease is characterized by targeted damage to immune cells, such as killer T cells. In this case, the sick person becomes vulnerable to most infections and microorganisms. Due to the lack of complete protection, opportunistic flora is activated in his body, which under such conditions becomes the cause of the development of various pathologies, which leads to an almost inevitable death.

Healthy sleep

Proper and healthy sleep affects the entire body as a whole. Therefore it is very important. An adjusted work and rest schedule will help you get rid of fatigue and tension. Scientists have long proven that poor sleep contributes to
stress and mental disorders.
You can't make up for sleep at night with daytime sleep.

.
All these factors have a detrimental effect on the immune system and the body as a whole. On average, a person should sleep about 7-9 hours. It is important to maintain a sleep schedule: go to bed and wake up at the same hours
.
Scientists have found that it is best to go to bed at 10 pm, at which time sleep is as sound as possible. Healthy sleep is influenced by many things: a comfortable sleeping place, correct postures, maximum absence of light and much more
. Most people think that “getting enough sleep on the weekends” is beneficial; this is also a misconception. Long sleep is just as harmful to health as its lack. After sleeping for more than 9 hours, you will already wake up exhausted and tired, and your immune system will be stressed.

How to boost immunity?

Knowing how to quickly boost immunity, you can prevent the emergence of a large number of problems, including health ones. To do this, it is enough to follow simple rules, the implementation of which can improve your well-being and health in general. This:

Normalization of lifestyle. It includes the elimination of all of the above reasons that can lead to immunodeficiency states. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to adherence to sleep patterns, daily diet and physical activity.
Minimizing or eliminating stress. Being in a stressful environment or depression negatively affects not only mental but also physical health. Therefore, it is important to get rid of external stimuli or learn to cope with them (on your own or with the help of a psychologist).
Getting rid of bad habits. It is strongly recommended to give up smoking, alcohol or drug abuse.
Adhere to medical prescriptions. Even a drug that boosts immunity must be prescribed after receiving approval from a doctor. Self-medication will not only not bring the desired effect, but can also cause significant harm. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly contact the doctors of the MedArt clinic, who will conduct a thorough diagnosis, make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. The duration of the treatment course and dosage of medications is selected strictly individually, depending on the characteristics of each organism.

We suggest adding your company to a thematic directory of organizations, for example in Sport365days - this is an excellent example of a thematic aggregator tied to topics such as sports, health, sporting goods and beauty. If you are the owner of a business focused specifically on these areas, you can create your own website absolutely free, find business partners with the ability to post information on your page or a partner’s page. (Example: Medart).

Proper nutrition

As mentioned above, rational and proper nutrition is an essential component of a complete immune defense. The daily diet should consist of a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, trace elements and vitamins. It is necessary to consume fresh vegetables and fruits daily, give preference to low-fat varieties of fish and meat. It is strongly recommended not to overuse salty, fried, smoked and fatty foods. You should also give up fast food, which contains a high concentration of fast fats, which lead not only to rapid weight gain, but also to the development of many diseases. However, food is not the only important aspect of proper nutrition. To increase immune protection, it is necessary to monitor your water balance. An adult should drink at least 2 liters of clean water every day. The liquid promotes accelerated elimination of toxins and normalization of metabolic processes.

Physical training

Adequate exercise has a general strengthening effect, which has a beneficial effect on health, including immunity. However, you need to understand that physical education should be selected on an individual basis. The amount, duration and type of exercise depends on the characteristics of each person: gender, age, history of diseases, current sports form and much more. It is important to know that excessive physical activity can negatively affect the body, leading to fatigue and exhaustion. You also need to carefully monitor proper rest. It is not recommended to engage in intense sports every day. 2-3 sessions a week will be enough to strengthen the immune system. If you can’t go to the gym, you can give preference to jogging or walking in the fresh air.

Hardening

This is one of the most ancient, common, but effective ways to improve the functioning of the immune system. Hardening is a common practice among people who prefer to keep themselves in shape and monitor their own health. This technique has been proven effective by doctors , but not everyone is allowed to practice it. There are a number of limitations under which hardening can cause significant harm. This primarily applies to people with cardiovascular pathologies. It should also be taken into account that unprepared people are strictly forbidden to immediately douse themselves with cold water or swim in an ice hole. This can lead to heart rhythm disturbances, which can lead to cardiac arrest. To begin with, you can practice a contract shower, walking on the floor without socks or slippers, and only then proceed to more complex procedures.

Vitamins and minerals

This is an essential component of increasing immune defense. Vitamins and minerals can be obtained both from food (therefore it is extremely important to properly plan your diet) and through medications. However, you need to understand that their acceptance must be justified. To do this, it is recommended to make an appointment with a doctor at the MedArt Medical Center. Here, a thorough diagnosis is carried out, on the basis of which an optimal, effective and safe course of taking vitamins and minerals is set.

Folk remedies

Not everyone knows how to boost an adult’s immunity at home using folk remedies . There are several effective ways, including:

Herbal teas. The most effective are thyme, chamomile, ginseng and rose hips. The combination of these herbs has a beneficial effect on health, improving well-being and preventing the development of diseases.
Replace sugar with honey. Honey is a natural immunostimulating product that can be added to tea or consumed in its pure form.
Eat walnuts as a snack. They are rich in beneficial microelements that have a beneficial effect on the immune system.
Garlic. It contains a natural antibiotic - allicin, which eliminates pathogenic microorganisms. It is actively used to prevent colds in both adults and children.
Ginger root. It can be used to prepare healing decoctions or inhalations.

dietary supplements

The modern realities of life in big cities, unfortunately, do not always allow preparing dishes from high-quality food products. Not everyone has the opportunity to constantly monitor their daily diet and ensure adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. In such a situation, dietary supplements can help and can replace the missing elements. Today there are many different dietary supplements, differing in composition and purpose. To choose a drug, it is recommended to consult a doctor at the MedArt clinic, who can choose the most optimal and safe option.

Folk recipes

Before alternative medicine, people came up with many ways to fight infections. Various decoctions with healthy herbs and berries. Also hardening, which strengthens not only the body, but also the spirit. The most effective and easy to prepare were found. All the recipes below are not medicines!

Rose hip decoction

Dried berries are used in preparation. They need to be ground, pits and hairs removed. Add 100 gr. berries per 1 liter of water, boil for 5 minutes. Then leave for 3 hours.
It is recommended to consume no more than 3 times a day, 0.5 cups.
You can also prepare rosehip decoction from fresh berries.
200g per 1 liter of water. Leave for 3 hours.

Cranberry tea

There is no single recipe, so we will present one of the options:

Cranberry 200g
Lingonberry 200g
Carnation
cinnamon stick
Honey – 1 teaspoon
Brew everything in 1 liter of water

Herbal decoction

Mint
Blooming Sally
Melissa
Chestnut flowers

Grind everything in equal proportions, 5 tablespoons per 1 liter of water. Boil. Leave to infuse for 3 hours, you can strain. Add honey and sugar to taste.

Berry decoction

Viburnum – 200g
Lingonberries – 200g
Black currant – 200g
Raspberries – 100g
Strawberries – 50g
Honey – 1 teaspoon
Grind the berries, mix well. Then pour 500 ml of hot water and leave to steep for 2 hours. You can drink 1 glass a day, it is more effective during seasonal diseases.

Dried fruit mixture

Senna grass 100g (dried)
Raisins 50g
Dried apricots 50g
Prunes 50g
Walnut – 0.5g
Olive oil
Honey – 1 teaspoon

Grind the dried fruits thoroughly and stir until the mixture is homogeneous. It has a laxative effect and can be used for constipation. To reduce the laxative effect, you can exclude olive oil from the recipe.

Aloe juice infusion

Aloe juice – 500ml
Lemon – 300ml
Walnut – 0.7g, chopped

Mix thoroughly, add a liter of hot water and leave to infuse for a day. You can take a glass a day.

Healing echinacea tea

Fresh flower – 4 fresh flowers
Echinacea root – 2 teaspoons crushed root
Brew for 1 liter of water. If fresh flowers are not available, dried ones can be used.

Sea buckthorn decoction

Sea buckthorn berries – 3 tablespoons
Water – 2 glasses
Pour sea buckthorn berries into two glasses of water. Boil for 10 minutes over low heat. Then strain. Can be consumed as tea. 1 glass of this decoction per day.

Medicinal herbs 18Read more in the source

Over the past two decades, the number of studies on the antiviral and immunostimulating properties of plants has increased 10-fold. Experts believe that some herbs can help block the enzymes of the virus, prevent it from entering the body, and in this way can strengthen the immune system. The most useful herbs are:

pharmaceutical camomile

: relieves fever and slows down inflammatory processes 19Read more in the source.

Sage

20Read more in the source: has immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Milk thistle:

contains a complex of antioxidant substances that help improve immunity 21Read more in the source.

Rosemary:

antioxidant plant, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties 22Read more in the source. Scientists call rosemary a promising remedy for combating pathogenic microorganisms 23Read more in the source.

Calendula:

it contains a lot of beta-carotene, from which vitamin A is synthesized. Relieves inflammation, has antibacterial properties 24Read more in the source.

St. John's wort:

rich in antioxidants, has antibacterial and antiviral activity 25Read more in the source.

Melissa officinalis:

it has a high content of antioxidants and essential oils. Melissa has antibacterial and antiviral properties 26Read more in the source.

The use of any medicinal herbs should be approached with caution due to their pronounced effects on the body; they should not be treated as ordinary herbal tea. Their circulation is regulated by the Law “On the Circulation of Medicines”, therefore medicinal herbs are sold in pharmacies. In addition, many herbs have contraindications for use.

Radish fruit

It contains vitamins of groups A, B, C, E and others in high percentage concentration. A wide range of minerals makes it suitable for use in the daily diet. This product contains biologically active components that stimulate the body’s immune protective properties and prevent the development of viral infectious diseases.

Dog-rose fruit

Rose hips have long been famous for their beneficial properties, as people have used them to create healing infusions. With their help, chronic, inflammatory processes were relieved. The amount of vitamin C in the fruits of this shrub is several times higher than that of black currants and lemon. Due to its bactericidal properties, it is used as a prophylaxis during the cold season.

Citrus

Citrus products that boost immunity contain a large percentage of vitamin C. Lemon is especially rich in it. In addition to the immunostimulating effect, citrus fruits restore the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is indicated for pharyngitis and sore throat. It should be diluted in boiled, cooled water and gargled with a sore throat.

Garlic

The well-known garlic contains a natural antibiotic – allicin. This component helps thin mucus, so it is recommended for use for diseases of the respiratory system. He is able to quickly restore strength after a protracted illness. The antiseptic property of garlic is useful during viral infections and colds. Doctors recommend taking one slice of this product daily to boost immunity. It is useful for feverish conditions, as it has a diuretic and diaphoretic effect.

Lysine-rich foods

Proteins, the “building materials” of the body, are very important for immunity: they consist of amino acids necessary for life 11Read more in the source. One of them is lysine 12. Read more in the source. The body itself cannot produce this amino acid. You can only get it from food or nutritional supplements. Symptoms of lysine deficiency largely coincide with signs of reduced immunity: fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, deterioration of skin and hair. At the same time, studies have shown that lysine supplements helped children who often suffer from colds 13Read more in the source.

Lysine is also necessary for the creation of antibodies that fight pathogens 14Read more in the source, 15Read more in the source. One form of this amino acid has anti-inflammatory properties and supports intestinal health, which, in turn, is responsible for the absorption of substances necessary for immunity 16Read more in the source.

There is a lot of lysine in products of animal origin 17Read more in the source:

dairy and fermented milk products, especially cheese
chicken eggs
marine oily fish and seafood
rabbit meat
beef, veal, lamb, pork

Lysine is also found in plant foods - legumes, nuts, cereals. However, the concentration of this acid in them is much lower.

Dairy products

Fermented milk products are an example of how beneficial probiotic microorganisms from the outside help the immune system. For example, the fermented milk drink “Imunele” contains live probiotic lactobacilli: they prevent the development of pathogenic microorganisms, help our own microbiota protect the intestinal mucosa and ensure good immune function. Imunel also contains a complex of vitamins A

,
E
,
D
and

groups B. One bottle of this drink provides up to 30% of the daily value of these micronutrients. To maintain immunity, two bottles a day are enough.

Sauerkraut

This is a natural and inexpensive supplier of ascorbic acid to our body. If you season sauerkraut with sunflower oil and add onions, you will receive a powerful dose of vitamin C. These foods that boost immunity are also capable of:

Strengthen exchange processes;
Lower cholesterol levels;
Increase the body's resistance to stress;
Make your heart muscle work better.

Freshly squeezed juices 41Read more in the source

In general, fruits are preferable to juices. Fruits have a lot of fiber, and it creates a feeling of fullness. Juices are low in fiber, which is why we risk consuming more calories by choosing them 42Read more in the source.

However, juice helps you quickly get a large dosage of essential vitamins.

For example, 100 grams of tomatoes contain 13.7 milligrams of vitamin C 43 Read more in the source, and 100 grams of tomato juice contain 45 milligrams 44 Read more in the source.

Unlike packaged juices, fresh juices retain almost all vitamins if you drink them immediately after preparation. 45Read more in the source. It is undesirable to drink some juices in concentrated form: they can irritate the gastric mucosa. It is recommended to dilute them with water. Also, nutritionists do not recommend drinking fresh juices on an empty stomach. But you shouldn’t overuse juices and drink more than one glass a day.

The healthiest juices are:

apple 46Read more in the source - not so much because of the presence of vitamin C
, but because of the overall antioxidant activity: for 1 apple it is equivalent to 1500 milligrams of vitamin C.
orange 47Read more in the source – contains vitamins C
,
B-6
, magnesium, potassium.
carrot 48Read more in the source - one of the most important sources of beta-carotene
, but to convert it into vitamin
A
, fats are needed, for example, a drop of vegetable oil or cream.
tomato 49Read more in the source - one glass contains the daily requirement of the antioxidant substance lycopene
. This juice has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora 50 Read more in the source.
green vegetable unsweetened juices - they contain a lot of chlorophyll, or a substance that strengthens the immune system, creating an uncomfortable environment for pathogens 51Read more in the source. Fresh juices can be created from combinations of cucumber, celery, broccoli, green herbs, green bell pepper, and spinach.