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How to strengthen your defences and feel fit, vital and all-round wellbeing

Defy pathogens by strengthening your immune system. Feeling fit and vital is also largely dependent on your defences . You can find out how to strengthen your defences here.

1. Regular exercise in the fresh air stimulates your defences

Even if you feel weak at the moment, you should by no means just hole up at home or in your bed. Exercise in the fresh air boosts your immune system. However, be careful not to overextend yourself . It doesn't have to be a marathon. A half-hour walk is already good for your health. Exercise stimulates the lymphatic system and promotes the elimination of toxic substances and waste from the body. This relieves your immune system. Exercise is further helpful in transporting defence sites to the appropriate parts of the body. A walk in the fresh air also promotes blood circulation in the body. In addition, exercise in the fresh air is even said to improve the quality of the defence cells . Pathogens such as viruses and bacteria can thus be fought more efficiently.

2. Healthy and sufficient sleep benefits your defences

In sleep we recover and our body regenerates. A lack of sleep has been shown to weaken the immune system. A healthy sleep duration is about seven to eight hours. During this time the body also produces defence cells.

3. Relax regularly

The hectic everyday life usually has us completely in its grip. Stress has been proven to weaken your immune system. Therefore, allow yourself regular breaks. There are various relaxation techniques, such as autogenic training. Be mindful of yourself and don't always worry about others.

4. Taking a sauna can help your immune system

Taking a sauna is also a good way to relax. A visit to the sauna can even strengthen your immune system in two ways. On the one hand, sauna bathing relieves tension and stress, and on the other hand the sweating cure strengthens the body's temperature regulation. When you take a sauna your body learns to retain heat better and to compensate for cold outside temperatures, especially in winter. Flu infections arise in conjunction with hypothermia, so a regular visit to the sauna strengthens your defences. Defy colds. However, if you are already ill, you should temporarily avoid sauna visits.

5. Alternating baths boost the body's defences

Alternating baths are tried and tested. The changing temperatures of cold baths stimulate our immune system to perform at its best. An ice-cold shower in the morning, for example, has stimulating, vitalising and awakening effects and boosts your immune system. Give it a try!

6. Balanced and healthy diet

To strengthen your body's defences, a healthy and balanced diet is essential. Pay particular attention to vitamin-rich food and avoid fast food. Fast food can weaken the immune system.
Yellow, red, green or orange vegetables contain many vital substances and beta-carotene. These stimulate the white blood cells and thus support the body's defence against infections. Important nutrients such as zinc, iron, selenium and iodine also have positive effects on your immune system. Of course, vitamins and plant substances are also essential for our organism. Eat a healthy, varied diet rich in nutrients and vitamins .
In the case of deficiency symptoms or certain illnesses, food supplements may also be advisable. Discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist at .

7. Joy stimulates the immune system

Yes, You read that right. People who are happy are less susceptible to infections. A strong immune system is therefore also related to your psychological well-being. This can be explained quite simply . Mental stress also affects the immune system. It even leads to a weakening of the intestines, which have an important influence on the immune system. People who are emotionally distressed often suffer from insomnia, which also weakens the immune system. Therefore, be sure to allow yourself regular moments of joy. Listen to what brings you joy. After all, everyone feels joy from other things. It is a well-known fact that laughter is healthy.

8. Take care of your intestinal health

As already mentioned, the intestine has an important influence on the immune system. If the intestinal flora is disturbed, for example, this leads to a weakened immune defence. More than two thirds of all immune cells of the immune system are located in the intestine. A healthy intestine is important for having strong defences. A diet that is intestine-friendly helps to strengthen the defence.
The human intestine is the home of millions of tiny microorganisms that work together as a team to make a healthy immune system possible. To protect these microorganisms, a gut-friendly diet makes sense. Here it should be noted that you should consume as little sugar and dairy products as possible and prefer wholemeal products and fresh vegetables.

Conclusion

Our defences are a complex system. A healthy immune system is dependent on many factors and is therefore a holistic construct of mental and physical factors.
The points mentioned are essential aspects worthy of attention for strengthening the immune system. Overall, the following applies: Take care of yourself! This way you will also stay healthy and can rely on your defences. Strengthen your natural protective shield to feel fit, well and vital.