A healthy immune system Your weapon against the Coronavirus

“I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best” - Benjamin Disraeli

The Coronavirus outbreak has shaken the world as we know it to its core. The outbreak has recorded about 889,213 cases worldwide and has been attributed to about 44,323 deaths. The World Health Organisation has declared it as a pandemic and major countries have enforced lock-down protocols to help contain the spread of the virus.

India

The virus, COVID-19, has found its way in the Indian subcontinent as well The first case was reported in late February and within the month the country has enforced the lock-down protocol, with 1637 reported cases and 45 unfortunate deaths.

The Coronavirus outbreak in India, occurred a bit late than the other major countries in the world. However, experts suggest that the country may experience a surge in cases if proper measures are not taken by the government and even by the citizens.

Ray of hope

Major countries around the world have enforced lock-down to combat the Coronavirus outbreak. Governments have been requesting citizens of these Coronavirus outbreak locations to follow the protocol. This has led to some positive outcomes.

At the time of writing this article, China, which had locked down major cities has reported zero new domestic cases. The last temporary hospital in the country has been shut down. The world, however, is yet to accompany China on the road to recovery.

A vaccine to combat COVID-19 is yet to be developed and governments all over the world have been working tirelessly for the same. Until then our immune system is the only weapon we have to fight the Coronavirus.

Why the immune system?

Our immune system is our defense against any kind of harmful substances. Of all the unfortunate deaths from the Coronavirus outbreak, a major portion has been reported to be senior citizens with pre-existing health issues. About 96% of the currently infected individuals have reported experiencing mild symptoms and many have recovered owing to their healthy immune systems.

Even when the vaccine will be discovered and injected, it will boost our immune system only to fight the virus. As such, maintaining a healthy immune system is of key importance right now. There are various means for the same and we will take a look at them in this article.

How to keep your immune system healthy?

Physical means:

·        Experts agree that getting sufficient sleep is one of the first steps of maintaining a healthy immune system. Do not think of sleep as something to do when you are bored. It is the much-needed rest for the entire body needs for proper functioning. Get at least 10-hours of uninterrupted sleep daily.

·        Meditation will also lead to major healthy immune system benefits. It calms the body and the nerves and helps to get rid of stress. Stress can be pretty harmful to the body and getting rid of it should be your priority. Meditate daily for about an hour and you will start observing the changes within a few days.

·        The next step would be to exercise. If you are a gym person or regularly exercise then it would be no surprise to you how exercising can keep your immune system healthy. Do proper cardio and stretching practices to keep the body active.

·        Yoga can help you greatly in the process as well. Certain practices in Yoga are designed to benefit specific body parts. To boost your immune system practice different Pranayamas (specifically Anulom Bilom Pranayam), different Matsyasana variations, Uttanasana, among others. Also, practice parallel breathing and talking exercises.

·        Lastly, COVID-19 has been proven to target the lungs and cause pneumonia. Hence keeping your lungs healthy is of major importance. Refrain from smoking and try to focus on the bigger goal, which is to survive.

Diet:

To be fair there is no such immune system boosting foods that will do the trick. You can go for supplements but only after consulting with a physician. These supplements can have adverse effects and do more harm than good to your body. However, there are some foods that have been proven to keep the body healthy.

Incorporating these foods into your diet is important right now as a healthy immune system is all we have got against the Coronavirus. These foods are as follows.

·        Fruits like oranges, lemon, lime, grapefruit are rich in Citric acid. When our immune system is fighting some infection, it does so with the help of the white blood cells. These citrus fruits are known to boost the productivity of the white blood cells in the body.

·        Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables in the market. It is rich in Vitamins A, C, and E and is a must-have item in your diet. To enjoy the major benefits from the vegetable, cook it to the minimum.

·        Spinach is another vegetable rich in Vitamin C. Have spinach to boost your white blood cells and cook the vegetable slightly to enjoy the most benefits.

·        Try to have plain yogurt. When you go for the flavored variants, the product loses almost all of its healthy aspects. Add fruits and honey to the plain yogurt and enjoy it as a healthy dessert. The Vitamin D present in the product helps you maintain a healthy immune system. 

·        Both green tea and Tulsi tea has been heavily promoted for their major health benefits. Regularly have either of the two to keep the body healthy and active.

·        Lastly, there is nothing better than almonds and papayas. Almonds increase the Vitamin E level in your body which fights colds and fevers. Papaya is one of the richest foods when it comes to Vitamin C. It is one of the best immune system boosting food and a few slices every day is sufficient to do the trick.

Final Words

The Coronavirus outbreak is not the end of the world. Human beings have witnessed far serious pandemics before and like those, we will survive through this one as well. 84% of the cases which have had an outcome are reported to be cured and discharged.

Italy, one of the worst affected of the Coronavirus outbreak locations has started receiving aid from the rest of the world to fight the crisis. Major countries have sanctioned human testing for the developed vaccines already.

As of now, the least we can do as citizens are to follow the lock-down protocols enforced by the governments and maintain a healthy immune system to fight the virus. The cure will be available soon enough and all we need to do is to survive together, one day at a time.