immunity tips Archives

February 23, 2022 By Vandana Juneja 6 Comments

Importance of Vitamin D For Boosting Immunity

Vitamin D is a pro-hormone that is synthesized in the body when exposed to sunlight, and hence, is called the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D is an extremely important vitamin that has powerful effects on several systems throughout our body.

Health Benefits of Vitamin D

Promoting healthy bones and teeth.
Supporting Immune, Brain and Nervous system health.
Helps in regulating insulin levels, thus supports Diabetes Management.
Helps maintain healthy lung function and cardiovascular health.
Has a role in influencing the expression of genes involved in cancer development.

How Does It Improve Immunity Levels?

Human body fights infections using two types of immune systems – the innate system (responsible for quickly fighting infections) and the adaptive system (which produces a slower response but is highly specialised, e.g. responsible for the production of antibodies). Vitamin D seems to modulate both these systems which explains why this hormone has such a wide effect on the immune system.

Vitamin D deficiency is observed more in people suffering from seasonal nature of cold and flu outbreaks. During winters and seasonal changes, there is less sunlight, and less sunlight means less vitamin D available for absorption, which leads to lower immunity and more illness.

Why Do Immunity Cells Need Vitamin D?

Vitamin D has a “non-classic” role in modulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses of our body towards any illness or infection. What does this mean? Basically, Vit D receptors are found all over our body, including the immune cells. T cells are one of the immune cells known as the killer cells in our immune system which come into action when the body is under attack by an infective agent/invader/foreign pathogen.

If Vitamin D is not around, these “naïve” T cells will not become active and transform into the required killer cells or helper cells (which are charged with memory of the invaders). Many studies have concluded that T cells first search for Vitamin D in order to get activated and if they cannot find enough of it, will not complete the activation process, remain dormant and not act against the infection, leaving our body vulnerable to an attack.

Hence Vitamin D is very important for activating the T-cells of our immune system!

How Do You Get Enough Of Vitamin D?

1. Sunlight
Getting sufficient sunlight is the best way to help the body produce enough Vitamin D. Exposing your skin to the sun for 20 to 30 minutes a day would ensure enough UVB rays come in contact with the cholesterol in the skin, thus, providing the energy for Vitamin D synthesis to take place.

However, many factors affect how much Vit D a person gets from the sun, such as:

Time of day: The skin produces more vitamin D when one is in the sun during the middle of the day (between 10 am to 1 pm), the time it is at its highest point in the sky.
Sunscreen: Applying sunscreen tends to block the sun from hitting your body, thus, limiting the synthesis of the vitamin in your body. It is best to allow the sun’s UVB rays to come in contact with the body, directly in order to allow the production of Vitamin D to take place.
Area of skin exposed: The more skin a person exposes, the more Vit D the body will make. So wearing minimum clothing, and exposing most parts of our body, will ensure greater production of the vitamin.
Skin colour: People with a light colour skin absorb more UV rays, to produce Vit D more quickly than darker coloured skins, due to the presence of the pigment melanin.
Place: Where a person lives in relation to the equator also has a significant impact on how much UV rays are available for absorption and production of Vit D
Always Remember: Frequent, moderate exposure to the sun is healthy but prolonged exposure can be dangerous. Besides sunburn, you can be at a higher risk of developing skin cancer.

2. Food Sources
The best way to improve your Vit D levels is exposing yourself to sunlight, however, the consumption of certain foods can surely help increase vitamin levels in the body. These are:

Fish (Salmon, trout, mackerel, and tuna)
Egg yolks
Cheese
Mushrooms
Fortified milk
Fortified cereals and juices

3. Supplements
If you have less exposure to direct sunlight and are observing symptoms of Vit D deficiency which includes frequent illness, fatigue, tiredness, bone & back pain, depression, low bone mineral density, muscle pain, etc. you can start with supplementation but only after consulting a doctor or a certified nutritionist.

In India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommends a daily supplement of 400 IU/day of Vit D, under situations of minimal exposure to sunlight or when symptoms of deficiency are observed.

Hope this article helps you understand the importance of the Sunshine Vitamin, especially to boost immunity. For more tips on boosting your immunity, reach out to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

January 18, 2022 By Vandana Juneja 1 Comment

5 Ways to Improve Immunity Naturally

With the Omicron variant looming over our heads, there’s one very important thing to realize – the virus attacks people with a compromised or low immune system. A strong and properly functioning immune system helps by protecting you in your daily life as you come into contact with germs and bugs from other people, pets and the environment around you. Without a healthy immune system, you could pick up infections and infectious diseases more easily, and the effects could be serious – even fatal. So let’s look at ways in which we can improve immunity naturally!

Tips to Improve Immunity Naturally

1. Healthy Diet
Following a HEALTHY DIET rich in ANTIOXIDANTS is essential to supporting your immune system. Include more fruits and vegetables, as they are rich in antioxidants. They help combat free radicals—chemicals by products known to damage DNA and suppress the immune system. A few examples of immunity building food items includes – Citrus fruits, Lemon, Amla, Kiwi, Papaya, Bell peppers, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Spinach, Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, Yogurt, Nuts and Seeds, Seafood and Green Tea.

Choose healthy fats (such as the omega-3 fatty acids available in oily fish, flaxseed, and canola/soya bean oil) over saturated fats (found in meat and dairy products). Also, healthy fats may help increase your body’s production of compounds involved in regulating immunity. Drinking plenty of water helps our cells operate efficiently and allows the body to process food and eliminate waste. Reduce your intake of Alcohol and avoid smoking as well.

2. Regular Exercise
Incorporating a regular workout regime, in your daily routine, has been scientifically proven to boost our immune system. Research continues to support a link between moderate, regular exercise and a healthy immune system. Regular exercise mobilises the T cells, a type of white blood cell which guards the body against infection. However, Intense exercise seems to cause a temporary decrease in immune system function. Research has found that during intense physical exertion, the body produces certain hormones (Stress hormones) that temporarily lower immunity. If you are training for ultra-endurance events, a key component of your training should be including enough rest and recovery days to allow your body (immune system) to recover.

3. Reduce Stress
Chronic stress can leave you with a low immunity by suppressing the immune response of your body as it releases the hormone cortisol, when in a stressful situation. Cortisol interferes with the T-cells to reproduce and receive signals from the body. Cortisol also reduces the antibody secretory IgA, which lines the gut and respiratory tract, which are our first line of defense against various pathogens. To keep your stress levels in check, you should follow the practice of Yoga, meditation or deep breathing in your regular routine. Take up a hobby or involve yourself in some recreational activity. Talk to friends/ family about your concerns and seek professional help, if required.

4. Sleep Well
Another healthy habit vital to preventing sickness is getting a full eight hours of sleep each night. Sound and sufficient sleep help regulate the immune function. Several studies have shown that those who sleep less than six hours per night or who have a sleep disorder were more likely to have colds and other respiratory infections. Try to sleep for 7–8 hours and avoid having a late-night too often.

5. Good Hygiene
The first line of defence against germs is following good personal hygiene! It lowers your risk for diseases and illnesses commonly spread through viruses and bacteria. Your hands come into contact with bacteria/virus every time you cough, use the restroom, touch your pet, or touch surfaces such as stair railings used frequently by others. Failing to wash your hands and body regularly can cause the bacteria/virus to multiply, increasing the risk for infection and other health problems. Here’s the right way to use a hand sanitizer: https://goqii.com/blog/the-correct-way-to-use-hand-sanitizer-to-kill-99-9-germs/

You can stop an infection before it begins and avoids spreading it to others with these easy measures:

Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food and after using the restroom, after coming back home from or whenever you feel they are dirty.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, or cough into your elbow rather than your hand.

With little change in your diet and routine, you can ensure that your immune system is strong enough to protect you against the virus infection. Eat as little or no junk food at all! Hope these tips help you witness the change in your body’s strength to fight illness.

To get these tips and more directly from a certified GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Improve immunity naturally and #BeTheForce!

January 13, 2022 By Neha Goyal 1 Comment

3 Best Vitamins To Boost Immunity

With cases rising cases and new, deadlier variants of COVID, it is important for us to take preventive measures and build our immunity. The food we eat determines our overall health and immunity. Immunity being our body’s first line of defense is much more needed now than ever. While a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle is the need of the hour, few nutrients play a very special role when it comes to boosting our immunity. Among different nutrients, today we will discuss the most potent vitamins to boost immunity.

Essential Vitamins To Boost Immunity

1. Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is water-soluble. It helps kick start the action of our immune system by encouraging the production of lymphocytes & phagocytes, thus, helping the body protect itself from infections. The body cannot store this vitamin and being water-soluble, it’s easily lost through bodily fluids. Hence, it is important to consume foods rich in Vitamin C on a daily basis. Being heat sensitive, this vitamin is destroyed on heating, so it is better to get it from raw foods.

Food sources: Citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberry, amla, papaya, bell peppers, leafy greens, broccoli, black currants & tomato.

2. Vitamin D:

This is definitely one of the most essential vitamins to boost immunity. It is fat-soluble and hence, can be stored in our fat cells. Which means that your body can mobilize its own reserves if your daily intake falters temporarily. Deficiency of this vitamin is highly associated with increased susceptibility to infections. Not widely available in vegetarian foods, it is hard to get enough of it. For most people, the best way to take this vitamin is through supplements.

Food sources: Cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, fortified orange juice, fortified cereals, egg yolk, dairy and plant milk fortified with Vit D, Sardines, swordfish and certain mushrooms.

3. Vitamin E:

This fat-soluble vitamin is a potent antioxidant and helps reduce cell-damaging oxidative stress in our body. It has the ability to modulate immune functions at the cellular level which usually decreases with age. It helps in the rapid increase of the infection-fighting cells and boosts their infection-fighting capacity too.

Food sources: Sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, vegetable oils, spinach, broccoli, avocados, wheat germ oil, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds

PLEASE NOTE: Though these vitamins play a crucial role in the functioning of our immune system, a balanced diet and attention to other aspects of good health like exercise, sleep and staying stress-free is also very important. You must make the most of your nutrition from natural foods as much as possible rather than being dependent on supplements. Before you switch to any foods you have not consumed before, please consult your doctor or nutritionist in case you have any allergies.

We hope this article helps you. For more tips and to know more about foods and vitamins to boost immunity, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

September 2, 2021 By Kusum Soni Leave a Comment

The Power Of Black Tea For Immunity

A powerful immune system not only prevents the attack of any foreign invaders like bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites but also can protect against degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease. There are many beverages that can support a healthy immune system and black tea is one of them. The health benefits of black tea have been attributed to it’s decent amount of polyphenols and a wide range of flavonoids—particularly thearubigins, theaflavins, flavonols and flavones. These phytochemicals have shown antimicrobial, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory activities.

Black tea has beneficial physiological effects like the prevention of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease by easing inflammation and supporting the flexibility of blood vessels, which can reduce risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke. Researchers at Harvard University have found 10 times more virus-fighting interferons in the blood of people who drank black tea in comparison to people who drank placebo beverages. The researchers attributed this to an amino-acid, L-theanine found in ordinary black tea.

Various studies over the years have also linked drinking Black Tea to reduced risk of certain types of cancers, and increased number of immune cells, antioxidants that protect cells against free radical damage. The antimutagenic effect is well documented for the black tea polyphenols, namely theaflavins and thearubigins and attributed both to the inhibition of the oxidative DNA damage as well as, considerable literature demonstrates their inhibitory effect on the tumor cell proliferation. Latest research also suggests that these polyphenols even affect the balance of gut bacteria that enhances immune functions, encouraging short-chain fatty acids formation that support liver’s function.

Tea drinkers have shown lower levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, after an exposure to a stressful situation. Stress can suppress the immune response of the body. Thus, indirectly by managing stress, tea again improves the effectiveness of the immune system.

Tips To Include Black Tea In Your Diet

Infused Tea: Add 3-5g or one black tea bag into a cup. Fill to the top with 85-90c boiling water and steep for 3-5 minutes. Remove the tea bag or strain and serve hot or over ice.
Optional: You can add half a cup of fruit pieces into a one-quart Mason jar with tea and, later cover and let the fruit steep for another ten minutes in hot infused tea, after removing the tea bags.
You can add some lemon juice or crushed ginger or a pinch of cinnamon to infused black tea for additional antioxidant activity and flavour.
Japanese researchers have found that even gargling with black tea extract twice a day was less likely to catch flu by flushing microbes trapped in the throat area.
Inhaling boiling water mixed with Black Tea can facilitate the clearing of the passages towards the lung and facilitate the removal of bacteria/viruses trapped around the nasal area and opens a pathway for the Theaflavins to reach the lungs and protect it from infection.

Word of Caution

Adding milk may diminish the disease-fighting potential of the tea as various studies have not observed the beneficial effect of black tea consumption on the risk of coronary heart disease in subjects consuming tea with milk.
Avoid having tea with meals due to the presence of Tannins, an anti-nutritional compound, which has inhibitory effects on absorption of protein and certain minerals from food like, Iron, copper, sodium and aluminium.
Do not drink tea close to bedtime as another compound in tea called Caffeine could keep you from falling asleep.

Don’t miss on physical activity, adequate sleep and Dietary Diversification, that is, include a variety of food in your diet ranging from whole grain/pulses to coloured fruits/vegetables, nuts and seeds, lean meats, to add a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants in diet, to enhance body’s disease-fighting capabilities.

Enjoy your cup of tea 1-2 times a day in snack time away from meals. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more immunity-boosting tips, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to our experts on GOQii Play.

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Stay safe, boost your immunity and #BeTheForce!