It’s time to start boosting your immune system! Aside from Wuhan Coronavirus international emergency, it’s also beneficial for your family. Ensuring your family’s well-being helps maintain physical and mental wellness. This gives you the strength to deal with any challenges.
Here are 4 Powerful Ways to Boost Your Immune System to Fight Diseases
1. Science-backed Powers of Vitamin C
Our own bodies can’t produce Vitamin C, that’s why it is one of the essential vitamins. Vitamin C has strong antioxidants that strengthen your body’s natural defences. It encourages the production of white blood cells, protecting your body against infections.
Vitamin C dissolves in water and doesn’t get stored within the body. Upon consuming, it gets transported to your tissues and any excess gets excreted in the urine. With that, it’s important to consume foods that are rich in vitamin C daily such as grapefruit, cauliflower and cantaloupe.
Bear in mind that this doesn’t mean that vitamin C is the be-all and end-all remedy whenever you feel under the weather. Taking high doses of Vitamin C does more harm than good. The recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men.
If you are in good health, it’s unnecessary to take vitamin C supplements as you can get enough from fresh produce.
10 Rich Sources of Vitamin C That You Can Find Fast in Singapore:
| Source | Amount | Vitamin C |
|---|---|---|
| Guava | One fruit | 126 mg |
| Chilli Peppers | One green chili pepper | 109 mg |
| Sweet Yellow Peppers | ¬Ω cup or 75 grams | 137 mg |
| Strawberries | ¬Ω cup | 89 mg |
| Papaya | 1 cup | 87 mg |
| Kale | 1 cup raw/ 1 cup cooked |
80 mg/ 53 mg |
| Lemon | 1 whole raw | 83 mg |
| Kiwi | One medium fruit | 71 mg |
| Orange | One medium fruit | 70 mg |
| Broccoli | ¬Ω cup cooked | 51 mg |
2. Healing Powers of Adequate Rest and Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is like recharging your energy bank. If you get less than six hours of sleep a night for a week, you’ll rack up a full night’s sleep debt. Not only do enough hours of slumber keep you rejuvenated, but it also enhances your productivity.
Strong evidence shows that sleep enhances your immune defence. Stress hormones such as cortisol and catecholamines increase when you lack sleep, suppressing your body’s anti-inflammatory response or immune functions.
Your body is a wonderful machine, while you are dreaming it quietly revitalises itself. Clocking in at least six hours of a good night’s sleep on a regular schedule will make you feel sufficiently rested when you wake up.
3. Rejuvenating Powers of Hydration
Water composes approximately 70% of our body. A healthy person needs 30 to 50 ounces of fluid per day (about 1 to 1.5 litres).
Our body loses water throughout the day through sweating, urinating and even while we breathe! How will you know if your fluid intake is insufficient? Your body has ways of telling you to hydrate. Weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, or dark urine are some of the tell-tale signs.
For families with elderly:
Older adults must consume at least 1.7 litres of fluid per 24 hours. Since they cannot drink a large quantity in a single sitting, we suggest doing so on a staggered basis.
Decreased sense of thirst is one of the effects of ageing. It is vital to encourage them by offering frequent fluid intake. They can also set an alarm to hydrate every two hours.
For families with children:
Kids are at a greater risk of dehydration than adults. A larger proportion of their skin has the propensity to lose sweat and be exposed to heat. What’s challenging is that they may not always recognise that they’re thirsty. As such, it is important to offer them water, especially when outdoors.
This all comes down to knowing the recommended water intake for your child. For children under 8 years of age, be sure that they are consuming at least 4-6 glasses of water. If your child is 8 years old and above, the suggested intake is at least 6-8 glasses. Keep in mind that they definitely need more on hot days or when they feel unwell.
Why is sufficient water intake so important? Water acts as a fuel that keeps our bodies going. It carries nutrients to our cells and helps remove toxins by flushing it to our bladder. Toxins have a negative impact on your immune system. Proper hydration prevents toxins from building up and harming your body.
4. Protective Powers of Handwashing With Soap
Handwashing seems so simple yet globally, people wash their hands only 19% of the time. Amidst the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus, it is crucial to practice handwashing.
Proper handwashing proved to be one of the best ways to remove and prevent the spread of germs. It involves five simple and effective steps: Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, and Dry.
Water alone does not dislodge germs. Handwashing with soap is more effective in removing dirt and germs. Soap helps break down germ-carrying oils. It also facilitates rubbing and friction which can remove germs from the hands. Don’t worry if you don’t have antibacterial soap. With proper use, all soaps are equally effective.
How about waterless options? Always bring hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol when leaving the house. Make sure that when you come back home, immediately remove your clothing and take a shower.
It’s reassuring that we can recover from Wuhan Coronavirus, like the common cold. It’s best to observe these practices in your daily routine to boost your immune system. Stay safe everyone!
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