1. Eat a healthy and varied diet
Our diet is already a very simple and effective way by which we can strengthen our resistance. It is best to eat a healthy, varied and organic diet. It is especially important to avoid highly processed and refined foods as much as possible, such as white flour products, processed meats, junk food, processed potato dishes, artificial sweeteners and industrial oils and fats.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
A diet rich in antioxidants is essential to support your immune system. Fruits and vegetables are especially rich in them. We need antioxidants to fight the free radicals that suppress our immune system and cause inflammation in the body.
"Eat the rainbow," a colorful plate equals a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. The more variety of fruits and vegetables, the better.
Not only the antioxidants, but also the fibers in fruits and vegetables are important for our resistance because they serve as nutrients for our intestinal flora. A healthy intestinal flora contributes to strong immunity because it would keep harmful pathogens out of the digestive system. It is becoming increasingly clear how important good gut health is the basis for good health.
Eat more healthy fats
Healthy fats boost our body's own immune system because they are said to have anti-inflammatory effects. So it is important to consume healthy fats on a daily basis. But what are healthy fats?
There are two families of "essential" fatty acids that are indispensable for all our body functions and that our diet must supply: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. In addition, a balance between these two classes is also important for optimal health. Unfortunately, the Western diet contains a strong excess of omega-6 fatty acids and a great lack of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are almost always present in transformed and/or packaged foods such as cookies, cakes, ready meals, sauces, dressings, fried foods and so on. Omega-3 fatty acids are said to have anti-inflammatory effects, boosting our body's own immune system. In turn, an excess of omega-6 fatty acids would have a pro-inflammatory effect on the body. Thus, we should primarily increase our intake of omega-3 fatty acids and reduce that of omega-6 fatty acids. We can do this by regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, nuts, seeds and avocado, for example.
Omega-9 fatty acids are other, non-essential fatty acids, but are very healthy and they are also said to have anti-inflammatory properties. The best known omega-9 oil is undoubtedly olive oil.
Healthy fats are indispensable in a healthy and varied diet. So the following foods are a good idea to add to your diet:
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Oily fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon
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Nuts and seeds such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and macadamia nuts
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Avocados
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Olives and olive oil
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Eggs
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Full-fat Greek yogurt
Eat more fermented foods
As mentioned earlier, a healthy gut flora is said to contribute to a strong immune system and good overall health. So enriching your daily diet with fermented foods can be a good idea because they contain good bacteria that help maintain a strong microbiome. Some examples of fermented foods:
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Sauerkraut
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Kefir
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Kombucha
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Kimchi
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Miso
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Sourdough bread
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Olives and pickles
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Tempeh
Avoid sugar
Sugar is said to weaken our overall health and immunity. The blood spikes of glucose and fructose it causes greatly reduce the action of the most important soldiers in our body's defenses: white blood cells. Because the higher the levels of glucose and fructose in the blood, the less vitamin C our white blood cells can absorb, and that reduces both their efficient functioning and the cell divisions they are normally supposed to exhibit.
So it is best to avoid foods high in refined white sugars such as soda, cookies, candy and pastries.
Still need sweets sometimes? Choose fruit, dark chocolate or a (homemade) dessert sweetened with natural sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup.
The 80/20 principle
Many people struggle to eat a healthy and varied diet on a daily basis. We all know that strict restrictions are not feasible in the long run. It's all about finding a good balance. A good way to maintain healthy eating habits is to apply the 80/20 principle.
This means consuming nutritious, healthy foods 80% of the time, while allowing yourself to enjoy less healthy options the other 20%. This flexible approach makes it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle without feeling strictly restricted.
For example, a concrete way to apply this principle is to plan fresh and healthy meals during the week, while using that 20% for social occasions such as dinners or parties so that you can enjoy them without guilt.
2. Get enough sleep
Sleep and resistance are closely linked. A lack of sleep is linked to greater susceptibility to illness. So it is very important to prioritize your sleep. A minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night is what we should all strive for.
Some tips for good sleep hygiene:
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No screen time 1h before bedtime. TV and other screens emit blue light, which can disrupt our natural day-night rhythms.
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Sleep in a completely dark room or use an eye mask
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Go to bed around the same time every time
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Get plenty of exercise during the day
3. Exercise regularly
Everyone knows that exercise is important for our overall health. Although intense exercise can increase inflammation, regular moderated exercise is said to be anti-inflammatory and stimulate the regeneration of our immune cells.
If you don't know where to start exercising, keep it simple and go for a walk. Aim between 7,000 and 10,000 steps a day.
4. Stay hydrated
It seems logical, yet many people still often don't drink enough water each day.
Dehydration makes us more susceptible to infections. So we need to make sure we drink enough water daily, especially if we consume foods and beverages that are dehydrating such as excess caffeine, sweets, foods high in sodium and alcohol.
5. Keep stress under control
Stress is said to have a negative impact on our immune system because it reduces our ability to fight disease.
We are all stressed from time to time; it is especially chronic stress that we should avoid. We can combat stress by trying to relax regularly by engaging in meditation, yoga, or other "mindfulness" activities, for example. Getting enough sleep, breathing techniques, exercise, and time with friends and family would also reduce stress.
6. Nutritional supplements for extra support
While we should, of course, get our nutrients primarily from a healthy, varied and organic diet, the intake of dietary supplements can provide additional support in times of decreased resistance.
The resistance-enhancing effect of vitamin C is known to everyone. To the extent that people sometimes lose sight of the importance of other nutrients for immunity.
If you want to support your immune system, choose dietary supplements that contain the following:
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Vitamin C
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Vitamin D
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Vitamin A
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Zinc
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Selenium
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Probiotics
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Plants, herbs and other natural products:
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Echinacea
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Propolis
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Mushrooms
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Cat's claw
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Acerola
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Garlic
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Spirulina
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Elderberry and blossom
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