10 ways you’re harming your immune system

By Jenny Smith

Our body has a natural defense mechanism which is used to protect the body from the external pathogens that try to harm the body. It consists of different fighter cells and natural killer cells to constitute a protective army. These cells include B and T cells, neutrophils, leucocytes, basophiles, macrophages etc. A good immune system is the passage to happy and healthy life style.

It is you who can help your immune system to stay in a good functioning condition by taking care of what you are providing it with. It is not only enough for you to stay hygienic and eat healthy but there are other factors as well which you will find out about when you read here.

10. Being Negative
Being Negative
Did you know that it has been studied that having a negative personality adversely affects your immune system? Negative approach towards life itself is a hazard/ when you start taking things in a negative manner so you go on acting accordingly this leads to create havoc in your life. There is no successful person who has gone through the path of success with a pessimistic behavior. There is always an optimism required to move forward and welcome ideas in your life. It takes twice the energy when you go on with a negative behavior.

A study has shown that people with a positive approach had more helper T-cells and natural killer cells as compared to those who had a pessimistic approach and were downers.
It is highly recommended for a good health to attain a positive attitude.

9. Suppressing The Emotions
Suppressing the emotions
It is so frustrating to bottle up the emotion inside oneself. It is against the human nature to stay calm and quiet for a long time when emotions are boiling inside to burst out. When these bottled up emotions do not find a way out to they are exploded out it in so many different and dangerous forms. A person can go through serious heart related issues or might have a nervous breakdown or there might even be a brain hemorrhage that can result due to the suppressed situation.

There had been a research carried out on couples who have a healthy relationship, the ones who can talk their heart out to each other were supposed to have a good heart rate, better sugar levels and a better immune system.
Whereas the couples who were hesitant in showing their emotions, and were continuously subjected to sarcasms and insults were comparatively having lesser number if natural killer cells in their body.
This showed that keeping emotions inside is not a health sign for the body. It not only affects the mental peace of a person but also contributes to reduce the immune system of an individual.

8. Less Intake of Water
Water intake
Daily water intake must be an average of 10-16 glasses for an adult healthy individual. If you are not taking this quantity of water than you must start keeping a track of your water intake each day. Dehydration is a major cause that leads one to many unhealthy conditions. For the regular and healthy functions of the organs and the removal of unhealthy wastes and toxins form the body water is very necessary to play a part in this.

Dehydration can affect your sleep and the ability if the body to reduce toxins.
It has been found that dehydration might as well reduce the capacity of the immune system to fight the infections more effectively.
So, if you are one of those who keep the task of drinking water at the end of the list must change it and start intaking water for a healthy, hydrated and a better lifestyle. Give yourself the best of everything and feel the change in yourself.

7. Chronic Stress
Chronic Stress
Well, stress has never been listed as a good sign for a human health. The first thing a doctor tells you to avoid is taking all the stress that has made you come so far in your illness. Did you know that stress has been the root cause of so many problems in the body? It is not something which shall be ignored.

Stress has been found to have an imbalancing effect on the bodily hormones in the body. It has been found that continual presence of stress for a long term increases the cortisol level. This in turn leads to the reduction of good prostaglandins in the body.

Good prostaglandins are basically anti-inflammatory which even helps to support the immune system of the body.
Hence when during the period of immense stress the body undergoes the reduction of good prostaglandin hormone which affects the immune system effectively.
“Get to know the habits that are making your immune system weaker day by day and cut down on those ones from now on.”

6. Smoking
Smoking
Smoking is injurious to health! Is probably the line which you have been hearing, listening and reading since the days of childhood. But not many of us have really followed it. Some people have so badly addicted to this habit that now they can’t leave smoking easily. Smoking tobacco is such an addictive activity that rarely people want to quit it.
No one can deny the amount of harm it does to the lungs. And for the ones who have been chain smokers are at a high risk of developing lung disorders very easily.

Cigarettes are supposed to more than 4000 chemicals in it.
More is the presence of toxins in the body, more is the immunity to get suppressed.
Even if you’re in a company of a friend who is a smoker that is you are a passive smoker it is equivalent on the health hazard risks.

5. High Dose Of Antibiotics
High dose of antibiotics
Some people have literally been on antibiotics since the beginning. They have aha too much of them that the pills are not even effective on them. Well, too much of anything is never good. Be it anything, form a relationship to your favorite food. The key to a balanced life is nothing must be over dosed.

Researchers have found that taking too much of medicines (antibiotics) have been found to decrease the production of cytokines in the body.
Cytokines are used as a hormone messenger of the immune system.
When your immune system is suppressed you are more likely to develop diseases in the body easily as there is no barrier to stop the infectious pathogens from invading easily.
Hence taking antibiotics shall not be made as a practice by the individuals. Help the immune system to get strong rather than leading it to get weaker.

4. No Exercise
No exercise
Well, as far as exercising is concerned it is the utmost advice given by the doctors to all age groups regardless of their age. This is because exercise helps your body to stay healthy and working. It is not necessary that exercise shall be a very aggressive one but a healthy one as there are exercises that if not done in a proper recommended manner might even act adversely.

Exercising helps to sweat and get rid of the toxins from the body.

While you exercise the circulation improves that helps in the circulation of the antibodies and the white blood cells.
These cells are the ones required to fight the infections away from the body.
A research ha s found that people who didn’t exercise and were inactive had been through more sickness in four months as compared to the ones who used to brisk walk daily.

3. Insomnia
Insomnia
Lack of sleep or insomnia is one of the disorders which is extremely unhealthy for an individual’s health. There is nothing like having a comfortable sleep. Sleep helps to build a better immune system. When a new born sleeps it helps the little one to pursue growth and increase in size. Hence sleep is a very important phenomenon for all the individuals. Lack of sleep would lead to many problems and some of them are evident too like dark circles under the eyes which gives an unhealthy and a sleep deprived look. Lack of sleep even reduces the efficacy of a person to perform well during the day at work or at school.

Lack of sleep is linked with a low number of fighter T-cells in the body and also a reduced number of white blood cells.
It is even found that people who go under lack of sleep issues are more prone to common cold and viral infections.

2. Insufficient Diet
Insufficient diet
A good and a healthy diet is all you need in your daily routine for a healthy mind and body. Fruits and vegetables must be taken as your daily meals of the day. This food is nourishing and fills your stomach so well. Not only this but this diet provides your body with all what it requires like the vitamins and minerals and the requirements needed to build a stronger and better immune system.

It has been found by a research that excessive intake of refined sugar and processed food and the intake of fast food has proven to provide the body with a weak immune system.
Such types of food that contain chemicals, additives and preservatives have been found to reduce the immune system of the body.
A study published in American journal has said that when a person intakes 100 gms of sugar i.e. equivalent to soft drink, halts the immune system for up to 5 hours and the ability if the white blood cells to kill bacteria is hampered.

1. Excessive Alcoholism
Excessive alcoholism
Alcohol has a serious effect on the liver cells. People who are excessive alcohol drinkers are on a higher risk of liver cirrhosis. It makes you a person drunk and some might even lose consciousness which is definitely nothing good. And the problem with alcoholics is this they do don’t want to leave knowingly very well how badly it is affecting the body.

Consumption of alcohol is directly related to the reduction in the immune system to work. So, if you consume more alcohol the chances for the immune system to work efficiently also decrease.
It is like in a short term period, alcohol consumption will increase the number of times you will experience cold.
Whereas, in long term more alcohol consumption will impair the function of immune cells and increase the chances of infectious diseases and cancer as well.
Tips
For a healthy life style one must incorporate some good exercise in life.
Say no to processed food and the junk you eat.
If you are taking antibiotics take from your doctor’s consent and finish the course on time.
Do not sit around people who smoke and avoid it yourself too.
30 minutes of aerobic exercise will help to boost your immune system by sweeping the white blood cells back into circulation.
Always find ways to unwind yourself from the stress you are going through. You might even go for some tread mill, or a relaxing yoga class will also do the trick
Speak up and show your emotions sometimes. It is better for you.
Kill the negative vibe inside you start making yourself positive from now on. This is the key towards betterment and success in life.
Always take a good amount of sleep which is surely very important for your health.