How to strengthen the immune system for the winter before the flu season and Covid

• Health Why are the masks not removed?

  "We are facing an uncertain winter. It is possible that we will have waves of Covid and flu cases at the same time"

• Flu vaccine Madrid 2022 Who can make an appointment and how to do it

season is coming .

It can be a simple cold, flu or Covid and it is our immune system that deals with these viruses.

But... How can we reinforce it? Why do we get sicker in winter?

The reality is that the cold, by itself, does not make people sick, it does not "freeze" our immune system.

However, the temperature changes that are typical when autumn arrives can favor respiratory diseases because they inhibit the functioning of the defense mechanism of the respiratory tract.

In other words: the mucus, by not renewing itself, allows the entry of viruses.

In a healthy person, the innate defense of this system is generally fast and strong, but here is

and reduce the incidence of diseases that (also) depend on lifestyle.

Do sport

People who exercise (in addition to gaining benefits related to weight loss, stress reduction, and increased muscle tone) get

.

In particular, people who train seem to have fewer respiratory infections and tend to get less severe illness.

Why?

The researchers speculate that muscle movement helps immune cells circulate more actively in the blood, and that regular moderate-intensity exercise is also linked to less chronic inflammation.

However, too vigorous exercise is also not good as it is stressful to the body.

It can overstimulate the immune system, promote inflammation, and deplete glycogen stores (which in some people can impair immune function).

Sleep well and fight stress

Poor sleep weakens the immune system, promotes weight gain, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

On the contrary, restful sleep strengthens us: studies have been carried out to demonstrate this in subjects who have been vaccinated, for example, against hepatitis or influenza.

When we sleep, during the deep sleep phase,

- the stress hormone - is inhibited and this allows general relaxation.

Fighting stress is also important because stress weakens us.

In fact, stress hormones induce the release of inflammatory substances and make the immune system less effective in fighting infections.

Give up smoking

Smoking is a strong

factor for widespread and serious diseases: from cancers to cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

When it comes to cancer, the statistics clearly indicate that cigarettes are associated with the appearance of approximately one in three malignant tumors and up to 17 different types of cancer.

In a study carried out on British patients with melanoma by researchers at the University of Leeds (United Kingdom), it was observed that smoking may have impaired the functioning of the immune system, reducing the ability to react to cancer.

Follow a healthy diet

The cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle that keeps us and our immune system healthy is

.

Focusing on the foods that should never be lacking to deal with seasonal ailments, we must remember to consume fruits and vegetables of bright and varied colors, respecting the

With the arrival of the cold it is good to choose, among the vegetables, those of the cruciferous family (green and red cabbage, broccoli, turnips and turnip tops), but also all those that grow underground to resist the cold and are rich in antioxidants (carrots, onions, spring onions, leeks, shallots).

Dried

(especially walnuts), dark chocolate, turmeric, apples, green tea: all foods rich in flavonoids, which prevent inflammation and have antiviral properties.

Mushrooms are also rich in selenium and beta-glucan, an immunostimulant that activates white blood cells.

On the contrary, alcohol is not recommended: in addition to creating organ damage (such as liver cirrhosis), it has an inflammatory effect on various organs and also increases susceptibility to infections.

Strengthen the intestinal flora

The role of our

(which make up our microbiome) is crucial to many aspects of our health.

The microbiota fulfills several functions, among them, it forms a barrier against the proliferation of pathogenic germs, with a mechanism known as the "barrier effect", it regulates the maturation of the immune system and modulates its activity.

Foods that promote the growth of populations of "good" bacteria therefore serve to increase our defenses: green light, then, to prebiotics, probiotics and dairy enzymes.

Supplements when needed

Obviously, the immune system can be

or by the typical frailty of age, as happens with the elderly.

In this case, it is not enough to adopt a healthy lifestyle, but it is necessary to contact specialists so that they give you the appropriate supplements, whether they are vitamins, mineral supplements or other substances or drugs.

Even those who, for particular health reasons or dietary choices, may be nutritionally deficient (for example, vegans, celiacs or those with digestive disorders) will need the help of supplements considered by their doctor.

Measures learned from Covid

With the Covid pandemic, we have learned to know and make good use of the protective measures that should guide us in the prevention of all infectious diseases: washing hands well and often comes first, followed by maintaining an interpersonal space, ventilation stays and the use of protective masks not only as a defense, but also as a consideration for others when sick.

Getting vaccinated helps the immune system

Getting the recommended vaccinations is a way of training our immune system, which instead of getting weaker (as some might think), gets stronger like a trained athlete.

There is much research and clinical observation showing that some vaccines give protection against other diseases: the tuberculosis (BCG) vaccine has been studied especially, but it has also been seen for the measles vaccine, which offers protection against other infections ( not completely, but significantly).

This is one more reason to

and the next flu, but there are also vaccines against pneumonia.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more

• covid 19

• Flu

• Diseases