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10 Ways You Are Ruining Your Immune System
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Staying healthy and avoiding the flu isn’t just about avoiding those coughing, sneezing co-workers or using a gallon of hand sanitizer every week, it’s the little things that really make a difference. Our personal relationships at home or how many nights we stay up surfing Facebook are what can impact our bodies the most. Check out these seemingly 10 seemingly harmless little habits that are just killing your immune system and what you can do instead.
1. Chronic Stress
We’re talking about on-going, every day, non-stop stress; not just the occasional scrap with your kids or a bad day at work ,but continual stress, it actually takes a huge toll on your overall health, including your immune system.
Periods of chronic stress results in sluggish response from your T-cells, those immune system good guys that fight off diseases, as well as overall diminished capacity for your immune system to respond to viruses or other illnesses. Find out 10 top things that bring on chronic stress.
It’s been documented that widowers and widows get sick much more often during the first year after their spouse passes away then others their same age who did not suffer the loss of their spouse.
What can you do?
Well, it’s easy to say take a bath, light a scented candle, but those things generally don’t work for long. As soon as you are out of the bath, the stress is back. Exercise is the most effective way to truly relieve your body of stress. Yoga, walking, running, dancing, anything that gets you moving and gets your mind off the problem.
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2. Driving Everywhere
It’s a sad fact that 1 in 4 American women don’t exercise at all.
That is really asking for an illness to walk into your life. Researchers have found that those who talk a brisk walk every day for just 20 minutes take much fewer sick days than those who don’t walk for exercise at all.
What can you do?
Try to get some exercise most days.
Take the dog for a brisk walk at least 30 minutes every day, or dance in the living room with your kids, anything that gets you up and moving for at least 30 minutes 3-6 days per week can put your white blood cell count back on track and make your immune system run as smoothly as a new car.
3. You are the Serious Type
Positive emotions and laughter decrease stress hormones as well as increase immune system cells.
Loma Linda University did a study where adults who watched funny videos for an hour were found to have dramatic increases in their immune system activity.
What can you do?
Laugh more, a lot more! Watch funny YouTube videos on your lunch hour, watch funny movies with your kids or spouse, have lunch with that friend who always makes you laugh.
You know what makes you laugh, the things that make you feel good; don’t think of them as a waste of time, rather, think of them as a doctor’s prescription for good health.
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4. You Are Too Busy for Friends
Numerous research studies have shown that the fewer human connections we have the more likely we are to come down sick.
Lack of friends or family fills our brains with chemicals that cause anxiety as well as cutting short our lives overall.
What can you do?
Don’t let your schedule get so jam packed that you don’t have time for friends and family.
Call or text with your friends in the evenings, have lunch with a co-worker; make plans for get-togethers at least twice a week doing something fun. Your immune system will thank you.
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5. You Scrimp on Sleep
College students frequently come down sick after pulling all night study sessions. Lack of sleep is well known to cause a lower immune system response and a greatly reduced number of the immune system cells that fight off germs.
Researchers at the University of Chicago conducted a study that showed that men who slept only 4 hours a night for one week produced less than half of the antibodies that are known to help fight off the flu when compared to those who slept 8 hours nightly.
What can you do?
The answer to this is pretty obvious; sleep! Adults need a minimum of 7 hours sleep nightly and do best on 9 hours of sleep. How you feel in the mornings is a good indicator of whether or not you are getting enough sleep.
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6. You Love Your Antibiotics
Some people seem to think that taking antibiotics for every sniffle or pain is the best way to keep themselves free from illness but nothing could be further from the truth. Taking antibiotics frequently is a sure way to make your body resistant to these antibiotics over time.Find out more why antibiotics are bad news for your health.
People who take antibiotics have reduced levels of hormones that send messengers to the immune system telling it to take action. When your immune system is suppressed you are wide open to becoming sick or developing bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.
What can you do?
Take antibiotics only for true bacterial infections and use the entire dose the doctor has prescribed. Don’t use antibiotics in anticipation of becoming sick, unless approved by your doctor. Also, be sure you are eating organic, grass fed beef to be sure you aren’t getting antibiotics in an unknown manner.
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7. You have Friends Who Smoke
You already know that smoking is a terrible thing for every part of the body but did you know that secondhand smoke is almost as bad?
Secondhand smoke can bring on asthma attacks and causes the deaths of a more than 3,000 nonsmoking Americans. If you can smell the smoke, then it’s entering your body, no matter how many windows are open or how far away you are.
What can you do?
Obviously, stay away from secondhand smoke. Encourage everyone you know who does smoke to quit and offer your support or to switch to E-cigs.
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8. You Bottle Up Your Feelings
You may avoid fighting with your kids, co-workers, or spouse because you think it’s better for you than getting upset but it’s actually harming your immune system.
Now we are not advocating having screaming matches, rather, constructive discussions about differences with your spouse or co-workers are actually good for you. Researchers have found that talking about feelings lowers your blood pressure, heart rate, as well as an increase in your immune related white blood cell count.
What can you do?
Don’t keep whatever is bothering you inside to fester into feelings of anger and resentment. Practice having constructive conversations, no yelling, no insults, no bringing up the past, focus solely on the problem and its solution. Consider seeking out help from a therapist if you can’t reach an agreement.
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9. You’re a Pessimist
Those of you who see the glass as half empty don’t live as long as those who see the glass as half full.
When pessimists try looking on the bright side, they experience less stress as well as overall better health.
What can you do?
If you feel you are a natural pessimist, try to look for reasons to feel lucky or happy every day, no matter how small or obvious they might be.
At the risk of sounding cheesy, try having a dinnertime conversation with your family where everyone says one good thing that happened to them that day. It might take some practice but you can change from the doom and gloom outlook to the sunny side outlook over time.
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10. Got Pens?
This might seem strange, but carrying a few of those cheap, dime a dozen plastic ballpoint pens might keep you from picking up your next bout of the flu.
Both cold and flu viruses are generally passed via hand to hand contact. So if you can avoid touching public objects, such as a pen at a bank or the checkout counter at the mall where you sign for your credit card purchase, you greatly cut your risk of contracting a virus.
What can you do?
Every morning make it a point to add at least one pen to your pocket or purse. Can’t hurt and may help. Read also 10 top things healthy people do before going to work.
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