Think! what do you love about your body? Who doesn’t want a body that is fit and healthy? How do you build a strong immune system?
A healthy lifestyle helps your body to work better, boosting your immunity. The key to having a healthy lifestyle is to have a diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables. Healthy grains like millets, ragi, jowar should also be part of our daily diet. All these are packed with rich nutrients. They play a vital role in supporting the immune system that helps to protect against infection and other diseases
Explore how your immune system works
Food is meant to be enjoyed
Your immune system is your first port of call in the fight to keep at bay infection and disease. It is made up of a network of cells, molecules, tissues, and organs all working together to protect the body. Thus, keeping it in good condition is important to stay happy and healthy.
From gradually shifting your mindset with mantras, experiments, and the decision to truly care for your body, do you want the foods you eat to make you feel whole, energized, and well? This generally means eating healthy stuff. You also want to be able to enjoy not-so-healthy stuff – you only live once; food is meant to be enjoyed.
So why not include millets in your diet?
Millets most notable nutritional feature is that it is a rich source of calcium and storehouse of protein and amino acids that make it a good inclusion in regular diet. They are said to be gluten free, rich in fiber, minerals and fatty acids. Millets can help heal health problems (diabetics, cholesterol, blood pressure, asthma, cancer)
Know your high-risk group
Who are at high risk of bacterial, viral, and other infections? Of course! the undernourished and the elderly! The immune response starts to decline with increasing age as the number and quality of immune cells decreases.
As a result, the elderly develops chronic or acute diseases. Some of the reasons are a poor appetite due to chronic diseases, depression, or loneliness; multiple medications that can interfere with nutrient absorption and appetite: malabsorption due to intestinal issues. Budget constraints. If you have low interest in cooking; mental impairment; or lack of transportation and community resources to obtain food are some of the causes for improper diet.
So how can you protect and boost your immunity?
Following a healthy diet is key to boosting the immune system. It also helps in delaying the process of the natural deterioration of the immune system as we get older.
A single nutrient deficiency in the body can alter the body’s immune. These nutrients work as an antioxidant to protect healthy cells, support growth and activity of immune cells and produce antibodies.
Eating a diet with low-fat may help give the immune system a boost. The immune system is depending on white blood cells that produce antibodies. These antibodies help to combat bacteria, viruses, and other invaders.
Since a healthy balance of real foods is the requirement of our immune system, essential nutrients should be a top priority for our daily eating pattern:
Protein is the building block of immune cells. A diet rich in proteins can protect the human body against certain types of diseases, in particular noncommunicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer, and skeletal conditions. This is where grains like millets which is a rich source for proteins should be part of your regular diet. Millets are cheap and easily available for all including certain groups like low-income households, pregnant and lactating women, infants and toddlers, and the critically ill
follow the below-given points: boost your immunity system, you need to
Have a healthy weight and be physically active
- Eat whole grains like millets, ragi, jowar – high in nutrients
- Include fruits, vegetables, and beans
- Limit intake of fast foods
- Limit red and processed meat
- Limit sugar-sweetened drinks
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Don’t rely solely on supplements
- Breastfeed your baby, if you can
Besides a balanced diet following hygiene rules is key to protect from infection. It is also important to get enough sleep and avoid smoking.
In summary
Good nutrition is highly beneficial for the body throughout the life course, from birth to old age. A balanced diet, including all food groups, supports an effective immune system is important and it may also provide protection against infections, cancers, and other diseases.