What Causes a Weak Immune System?
A strong immune system is vital to a healthy, enriching life.
The immune systems protect the body from parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi; it even limits the growth capacity of cancer and tumors.
Some people are born with particularly strong immune systems while others are born with lower-functioning immune systems. Lifestyle and diet are both used to enhance the immune system and to protect against environmental stressors that negatively impact immune system function.
Whether an immune system is strong and glowing or weak and lagging, some external influences can be harmful to the body’s health. Read below to find out which stressors negatively affect the immune system so you can work on building or maintain your body’s most reliable defense against infection.
Insufficient sleep
Whether an immune system is strong and glowing or weak and lagging, some external influences can be harmful to the body’s health. Read below to find out which stressors negatively affect the immune system so you can work on building or maintain your body’s most reliable defense against infection.
Dehydration
Adequate hydration is the key to keeping our 70-percent-water-bodies alive and healthy. Hydrating properly improves sleep, reduces bodily toxins and helps the immune system fight infections and illness.
Poor diet
While eating a balanced diet nourishes the immune system, eating a nutrient-lacking and unhealthy diet severely reduces the immune system’s function. Eating highly processed foods with chemicals, preservatives, and pesticides increase vulnerability to chronic illness. Eating high amounts of sugar limits white blood cells’ ability to kill the bacteria to which the body is constantly and naturally exposed.
Stress
Chronic stress is a major plague of the modern-day person. Overwhelming oneself with deadlines, demands, personal goals, little sleep and toxic relationships has a horrible effect on the immune system. A chronically stressed individual gets common colds and the flu regularly and is at risk of greater disease. Stress releases cortisol in the body, limiting the production of good prostaglandins, which support immune function, anti-inflammation and blood vessel dilation.
No exercise
Exercise is great for more than staying in shape. Stimulating the metabolic system flushes toxins from the body and increases blood circulation, which gets white blood cells and antibodies flowing through the body.
Alcohol
Over-consuming alcohol will initially manifest as frequent common colds. Over time, white blood cells will lose their ability to kill germs, impeding the body’s defense against cancer and infectious disease.
Obesity
Obesity is associated with continued poor health as it limits white blood cells from being able to multiply, act as anti-inflammatories and produce antibodies.
Medication
If medication use is chronic, it can reduce the immune system’s need to work and eventually, its ability to receive and send the messages necessary to keep the body healthy when infection strikes. Try to use medication sparingly, at the doctor’s suggestion and as a last resort to fight bacteria.
Poor hygiene
Simple hygiene habits like brushing teeth, washing hands and cleaning nails can help keep the body from being exposed to a number of germs and bacteria. Poor hygiene routines invite more exposure to bacteria, increasing the immune system’s need to work. If it is already weakened, this type of additional stress should be avoided.
In addition to minding after the interplay between the immune system and environment, supplements and vitamins can protect, stimulate or enhance the system’s functions. To learn more about these aloe vera dietary supplements, reach out to AMP Floracel or browse our extensive product offering online.