In recent times or Coronavirus times or Covid-19 times whatever you’d like to say, a lot has been told and advised about immunity. So, what exactly is immunity? We’ll take a look at immunity meaning and how to test if your immune system is in perfect shape. Additionally, we’ll try to explore some natural immunity booster foods and their health benefits.
Immunity meaning
No, it is not just about preventing coronavirus or Covid-19, there is more to it. Your body has a natural defense system that protects it from external bacterial attacks. To understand it better, just imagine you are walking and suddenly dusty wind blows, your eyes close instantly to protect them from the dust. Probably you also cover your face to stop dust from entering your eyes, nose and mouth. This happens instantly due to our in-built defense mechanism, which gets activated as soon any danger is anticipated.
The same thing happens at cellular level as well. When an external harmful microorganism enters your body, your immune system swings into action and fights back to prevent that external or alien bacteria or virus. This is where the strength of your immune cells or protective layer comes into play. This is called your immunity. The stronger your immunity, the better your virus fighting capability. Common cold and cough, allergy or many common ailments are often a result of weak immune cells. Which means they try to fight virus that cause the ailment, but that virus overpowers the immune cells, and you fall sick. Medication boosts your immune system and kills the external virus, and you recover. In case of fighting coronavirus, currently we do not have effective and powerful medicines to kill it, therefore prevention is the only way.
What is herd immunity
It will not be out of context to mention that ‘herd immunity’ has become a topic of discussion during Covid-19 times. It is often cited as one solution to this pandemic that has ravaged many countries across the world. When a person is infected with some type of virus, his/her immune system develops antibodies to protect him/her from the same type of virus in future. This makes the person immune to that disease. When a large number of people are vaccinated or develop antibodies (meaning, they cannot be infected any more by that disease), the virus stops spreading. This is called herd immunity.
How herd immunity works
Look at it this way. For example, someone is infected with coronavirus, but everyone around him is immune to it, due to antibodies already present in their body. Obviously, coronavirus will not be able to infect anyone around him due to this type of immunity in the community, therefore the disease cannot spread further. Makes sense? Read more.
Immunity Test
In the current scenario i.e outbreak of Covid-19, immunity testing kits for corona-virus is the most talked about subject among health workers. At present, antibody test is studied and is said to be holding the clue to Covid -19 exposure. However, I’d again like to mention that immunity is not just for coronavirus prevention or cure, you must have strong immunity to prevent various other common ailments. The sooner you start eating immunity booster foods, the better.
Immunity Booster Foods
While there are many packaged immunity booster foods available on the market, we’ll focus on a few thing or food items that can boost your immunity naturally and effortlessly. Also these items are usually already available in our kitchen.
Ginger
Being an important herb used in Ayurvedic medicines, the health benefits of ginger are many. From curing common cold and cough to boosting immunity if consumed regularly, ginger does it all. Here we’ll focus on its immune boosting capablities. Ginger has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. If you have any type of chronic inflammation, then your immune system will become weak gradually. Ginger helps you combat inflammation naturally, which results in strong immunity.
Ginger TEA
Ginger can be consumed in any form such as adding it to your vegetables or curries, drinking ginger tea regularly or even taking ginger shots if you wish. My favorite and I believe the easiest way to consume ginger regularly is to drink ginger tea.
Ginger WaTEr
Another important and easy way to reap the benefits of ginger is to consume it in the form of ginger water. Making ginger water at home is easy. However care should be taken that you do not consume more ginger water than what is recommended. Once a day is fine, but more than that can be counter-productive unless recommended by a certified medical professional.
Honey
Honey is said to be a divine food as per Indian mythological scriptures. This is a nonperishable food item full of innumerable health benefits. Immunity boosting is just one of them. Honey and lemon water also helps you burn fat if you drink every morning on an empty stomach. Honey’s anti-bacterial properties make it a strong immunity booster food.
Honey lemon water for immunity
Lemon is full of Vitamin C, and when your combine it with honey, it becomes a tasty and powerful drink offering your many health benefits such as weight loss, better digestion, instant energy boost, wound healing, glowing skin and more. It goes without saying that presence of Vitamin C makes is a good immunity booster. Read detailed health benefits of Honey lemon water
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