Your immune system is your body’s first defense system, And it has a vital role in your body as it protects it from any micro organisms that could cause infections and diseases. A weakened immune system can lead to serious health conditions, because the body is unable to handle the germs and bacteria you come into contact with every day.
8 Habits that Ruin Your Immune System
Stress
The day-to-day stress is different from a constant tension over something. While having a single bad day in the office might not be that stressful, being worried about a relative or job for weeks can exact a toll on our immune system. You can try yoga or meditation to reduce everyday stress.
Alcohol
If you suffer from alcoholism, then you are damaging your immune system. Studies have shown the effects of excessive alcohol consumption and how it can destroy your body’s antibody cells that are necessary for fighting off cells infected by viruses. Like smokers, those suffering from alcoholism are more likely to suffer from serious infections and diseases like tuberculosis.
Bad Hygiene
While proper hygiene may not affect your immune system directly, it does prevent infection and illnesses by eliminating germs and bacteria. If you lack proper hygiene, you are only making it more difficult for your immune system because you are inviting more harmful organisms into your body. At some point, these organisms can overwhelm your immune system leading to disease or infection.
Sun exposure
Always wear a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher when you are exposed to the sun, especially between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. More than 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure, even in winter, is linked to immune suppression. For example, cold sores often appear after time spent in the sun.
Being a Night-owl
Poor sleep habits lower immune system function and reduce killer cells that fight germs. Research shows that men who got only 4 hours of sleep 1 night a week had ½ the flu antibodies of those who slept uninterrupted for 7½ – 8½ hours each night.
More Use Of Antibiotic
Taking antibiotics at the first sign of a sniffle can make you resistant to the drugs and suppress your immune system by reducing the level of cytokines. Use antibiotics only for bacterial infections and use the whole course.
Obesity
Excess fat can lead to a depressed immune system. Obesity can affect the ability of white blood cells to multiply, produce antibodies and rush to the site of an infection.
Too much sugar
Eating too much sugar can reduce the immune system’s capacity to fight germs by 40%. Studies have found that sugar affects the body 5 minutes after it is eaten and its effects last for 5 hours. You need to have a good source of Vitamin C if you want the immune system to work properly. When you eat too much sugar, it begins to eat away at the Vitamin C in your body and destroys the cell structure of your immune system.
Sources include:
blog.professionalsupplementcenter.com
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