How to know if you have weak immune system and what to do to improve body’s first line of defense

Not everyone is born with a strong immune system, but the body has its own way of letting you know how capable you are of handling viral diseases and other conditions. It gives warnings when the immune system becomes weak and cannot protect against foreign bodies or pathogens. Knowing such signs can help you address them before a condition deteriorates your health further.

Getting Sick Frequently

If you get sick quite frequently and take longer to recover, it means your immune system heals at a slow pace. Catching a cold too often even when it is not winter tells you something is wrong with your first line of defense against pathogens.

Feeling stressed often

A certain level of stress like stress due to traffic jams can be helpful to overall well-being in the short term, but if you are stressed quite often, there must be something wrong with your immune system. Such a condition can lead to suffering increased infections and recovering poorly from diseases.

Having cold sores and shingles often

Cold sores and shingles are caused by the family of the herpes virus and can enter a dormant state in the body, but they can be reactivated and start replicating when the immune system is subject to stress. Frequent occurrence of cold sores and shingles indicates a weak immune system

How to boost immunity

 Internal medicine physician Dr. Michael E. Ford, MD, has shared simple tips to strengthen the immune system via the New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s website.

Aerobic Exercise

Regular. Exercise betters the immune system, reduces stress, and helps relieve depression. People who engage in workout get sick less than people who don’t. The activity brings several positive changes to the body. It lowers blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, and helps regulate body weight.

Adequate amount of sleep

Enough sleep is key to good health. Sleep is more than a state of rest. It also involves revitalisation of the entire bodily functions. Everyone should aim for six to eight hours of sleep per night and try to stick to a bedtime routine for better sleeping patterns.