Immune System Tips

It was the beginning of 2020, and we all woke up to a nightmare. COVID-19 became known to the world and the number of people dying skyrocketed before we even blinked.

To say that this pandemic has changed our lives would probably be an understatement, and as we continue to grapple with its ongoing effects, we’re all trying to do one thing to keep ourselves from getting sick—boost our immune system.

Whether you’ve experienced the effects of COVID-19 in your family or not, now is the perfect time to invest in your health, especially in keeping your immune system strong. Here, we’ll talk about the ten specific steps that will allow you to boost your body’s immunity.

You’ll notice that I’ve used some of these steps in helping you be fit, lean, muscular, or just to maximize your performance in the gym. But these steps are also proven to strengthen your immune system in one way or another.

 

Understanding the effects of exercise to the immune system

One of the most important components of the human body is the immune system, which along with the lymphatic system protects the body from pathogens that cause illness and even death. The immune system is composed of the innate and adaptive systems.

The innate system is the body’s first line of defense and it’s composed of the skin, mucus membranes, hair and even the earwax. The adaptive system, on the other hand, protects the body against specific pathogens. Unlike the innate immune system that you’re born with, the adaptive system is usually acquired like in the form of a vaccine.

One of the biggest factors for a poor immune system is stress. Whether it is work, relationships, the weather or money problems, chronic stress can really attack your immune system, and yes it can include exercise.

When you’re working out, you’re giving your body the opportunity to build its adaptive immune system to help fight pathogens. But working out too much can also destroy your immune system. Thus, the rule in every training: too little or too much is bad.

Now, you might be wondering that if intense exercise affects the immune system, why do I design my workout programs to be intense? Yes, it’s true, but only within a few hours after a workout. This is why I discourage people from going to a public place after training. But if you take proper measures, workouts can actually help you build a stronger immune system.

10 steps to boosting the immune system

Since the hours you spend on the gym can lower your immune system, here’s what you can do within the next 24 hours to get it back up and running:

1. Practice frequent hand washing. COVID-19 or not, handwashing is still the single most effect way to protect yourself against pathogens. Make sure to wash your hands frequently, especially before touching your nose, eyes and mouth. After working out at the gym, wash your hands right away and make sure to do it for at least 20 seconds.
2. Stick to the 30/60 rule. The 30/60 rule means that “for every 30 minutes that you spend sitting, you need to get up and do at least 60 seconds of physical activity.” What movement you want is up to you. It could be jogging, walking, push-ups or even simple stretching. Doing these moderate exercises throughout the day is a great way to keep your immune system strong.
3. Invest in sleep. Sleep plays an important role in allowing your body—including your immune system—to fully recover after an intense workout. On average, you need at least 8 hours of sleep at night, but it can vary. Some can get around with 7 hours of sleep while others need more than 8 hours to function properly.
4. Embrace meditation. Since chronic stress can really compromise your immune system, it’s best to embrace practices that will allow you to manage your stress better. Several studies have proven that meditation and mindfulness are effective strategies in helping you deal with stress. Make time for these practices in your daily routine. You can do traditional meditation or practice yoga to help your mind and body relax. You can even do some meditation for a few minutes before you go to the gym to work out. This will help you get through the right mindset and reduce your stress to keep your immune system going.
5. Do intermittent fasting. You already heard of Intermittent Fasting (IF) or the strategy where you don’t eat anything except for water and zero-calorie beverages for a certain amount of time. You can then eat whatever you want within the given feeding window. According to research, IF is actually beneficial not only in losing weight but also in boosting the immune system. While a lot of people still think that IF is only a fad diet, it has been proven to be beneficial, especially if you want to strengthen your immunity during the cold and flu seasons.
6. Stock up on your protein. You’ll need your macros to boost your immune system and that begins with protein. This makes perfect sense because your immune system is essentially a system of proteins. Loading up on your protein is very important, especially if you’re lifting weights because your body needs it to not only rebuild muscles but also your immune system.
7. Eat your fast carbs after a workout. I’m a fan of consuming fast-digesting carbohydrates after training because it helps you replenish muscle glycogen after a workout and it also helps reduce immunosuppression after a hard training. Cortisol is a major stress hormone and it can increase rapidly after an intense workout. The goal here is to get your cortisol levels back to normal, which is why you consume fast carbs right after training.
   
8. Load up on your omega-3 fats. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are known for being an “immunonutrient” that benefits the immune system. So, if you want to increase your immunity, it’s very important to eat these healthy fats as part of your diet, especially after a workout.
9. Think about your micronutrients. Aside from minding your macros, you should also think about your micronutrients like vitamin A, vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid, zinc and iron. Since your immune system can be depleted even with just a slight drop in these micronutrients, it’s very important to include them as part of your diet.
10. Take your glutamine. Glutamine is considered an immunonutrient that helps boost the immune system. When you work out, your body will naturally react by pulling glutamine from your muscles. While this is good, it also causes a drop in muscle endurance. So, if you’re constantly training, make sure to take your glutamine.

There’s still a lot that you can do to boost your immune system, especially after an intense workout. With COVID-19 still posting a real health risk wherever you go, it’s essential to embrace these practices to make sure that you don’t get sick, especially now with the cold and flu season coming up. After all, prevention is still the best way to keep yourself safe from this virus.