Decrease in immune activity is an extremely common problem, especially in the modern world, where the human body has to withstand the negative influence of the external and internal environment. Naturally, such a situation is extremely dangerous, since in one way or another the work of all organ systems is associated with the functioning of the immune system. Its weakening is fraught with the development of a number of disorders, including not only frequent colds, but also mental exhaustion, chronic fatigue, etc. It is only natural that people are interested in the question of whether there are remedies to strengthen immunity.
Immediately it should be noted that improving the functioning of the body is a complex process, and therefore should include several stages at once. For example, there are medicinal and folk remedies to strengthen the immune system, but they are unlikely to give the desired effect if you ignore other needs of the body, refuse physical activity and do not follow the rules of a he althy diet. Therefore, it is worth considering the whole range of measures that are necessary to normalize the functioning of the body.
Why there are problems at workimmune system?
As you know, in the modern world, the human body constantly has to fight with the influence of the external and internal environment. Improper nutrition, air pollution, poor-quality water, a sedentary lifestyle, constant stress, infection with parasites and pathogenic bacteria - all this definitely does not contribute to the normal functioning of the human body. But before looking for an effective remedy to increase immunity in adults, it is worth understanding some of the reasons for its decrease in activity:
- Unfavorable environmental conditions, including air pollution (for example, in big cities), hazardous industries (especially relevant for people who work in these same industries), radioactive background, etc.
- Poor-quality food (including stale food), improperly formulated diet, vitamin deficiency, poor hygiene while cooking, constant malnutrition and dangerous mono-diets for weight loss.
- Poor-quality water and improper drinking regimen (normally, a person needs to drink at least 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day, and coffee, tea and other drinks do not count).
- Present congenital abnormalities.
- Chronic inflammatory diseases, infection of the body with parasites, bacterial and fungal organisms, viruses.
- Bad habits, including alcohol abuse and smoking.
- Sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular physical activity,constantly staying in unventilated rooms, etc.
- Constant stress, increased mental stress, nervous strain at work, etc.
Weakened immunity and related problems
Means to increase immunity - this is what almost every person needs. A decrease in immune activity is fraught with a host of complications, including:
- Frequent colds, and they sometimes last for several weeks, and the rehabilitation period after the infection is difficult.
- Development of anemia and weakness.
- Development of chronic fatigue.
- Frequent allergic reactions, because an allergy is essentially an inadequate response of the immune system to contact with a particular substance.
- Dryness and increased sensitivity of the skin, the appearance of irritation.
- Hair becomes dull and weak, nails peel and break.
- Constant fatigue and drowsiness appears.
- People often complain of digestive problems, accompanied by indigestion, constipation, diarrhea.
- Papillomas, herpetic eruptions often appear on the skin.
- Immunocompromised patients often experience dental problems.
- There are dramatic weight changes, both weight loss and weight gain.
This is actually just the tip of the iceberg, as changes in the body can be much more complex. For example, stress and a decrease in the activity of the immune system often lead to hormonal disruptions, which affectsmood, libido, reproductive system.
What do you need to normalize the immune system?
It is worth understanding that the work of all human organ systems is connected - it is impossible to normalize the functioning of one, ignoring the need to treat the other. Immunity-boosting drugs will certainly help, but in order to maintain the effect of the drugs, you will need to change your lifestyle:
- For starters, of course, you need to undergo a complete examination of the body for infection with parasites. If necessary, an important point will be the full therapy of a particular disease.
- To normalize the functioning of the immune system, it is necessary to establish the functioning of the digestive tract.
- It is very important to reconsider the diet and include in the menu products containing sufficient amounts of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that will help not only boost immunity, but also normalize metabolism.
- Effective means of increasing immunity - physical activity (feasible, of course), sufficient exposure to fresh air, the absence of constant stress and overstrain, normal sleep and work / rest.
Medicines to increase immune activity
As a rule, folk remedies are often used to increase immunity in children and adults. However, in severe cases, when immunity is strongweakened (for example, as a result of a severe illness), medication is required. Modern medicine offers several varieties of such drugs, which can be divided into several groups:
- herbal medicines, including tinctures of echinacea, lemongrass, eleutherococcus, ginseng;
- drugs consisting of bacterial enzymes, such as Likopid, Bronchomunal;
- drugs based on nucleic acids;
- drugs containing interferon;
- drugs - biostimulants;
- complexes of vitamins and minerals (by the way, they are recommended to be taken 1-2 times a year for prevention, even in the absence of symptoms of a decrease in immune activity).
Immediately it should be said that only a doctor can prescribe such drugs. The dosage and the schedule of reception are selected individually. For example, means to increase immunity in children are taken differently than in the treatment of adults. To begin with, it is worth considering a few of the most popular drugs:
- "Arbidol" is a drug with immunomodulatory and antiviral effects. It comes in the form of capsules and, according to reviews, really helps to normalize the functioning of the immune system. By the way, in the appropriate dosage, the drug is also prescribed for children over two years old.
- "Bronchomunal" is a drug that is widely used to treat secondary immunodeficiency that develops against the background of protracted inflammatory or infectious diseases.
- Eleutherococcus extract - available in the formtincture and is a herbal remedy. True, the course of therapy lasts at least a month, and the effect appears gradually.
When it comes to correcting immunity in children, doctors often recommend the use of suppositories. By the way, the same form of the drug can be used to treat adult patients. For example, the best means to increase immunity are Anaferon, Viferon, Immuntil, Kipferon. It is believed that preparations in the form of suppositories are more effective, since the active medicinal substances are almost completely absorbed by the body. It is also more convenient to use medicines in this form for the treatment of babies, since small children cannot take pills.
Means to increase immunity in children
In fact, the correction of the immune system in children is not much different from the same process in adults. For example, experts recommend a set of hardening procedures. Naturally, it’s worth starting small, for example, dressing your baby for a walk is not so warm.
An important step is a diet rich in vitamins. When it comes to babies, then a nursing mother needs to carefully monitor nutrition. In the event that the baby is bottle-fed, parents should carefully choose milk formulas.
Of course, sometimes medications are needed, but only the attending physician can help with this. Folk remedies to increase immunity in children also need to be selected carefully, it is desirable that a specialist in herbal treatment do this.
How to increaseimmunity during pregnancy and postpartum?
What medicine does medicine offer to increase immunity for adult women during pregnancy? After all, as you know, during this period there is a significant decrease in the activity of the immune system, which is associated with the restructuring of the body and hormonal changes. It is only natural that some pregnant women face the problem of frequent colds and other sluggish diseases that harm the body not only of the mother, but also of the child.
Quite often, pregnant patients are offered to take herbal preparations, in particular tinctures of lemongrass, ginseng. Sometimes other drugs, such as Immunal, are included in the therapy. The same applies to the postpartum period, but, again, you can’t take something without permission - a doctor’s consultation is required.
Of course, it is extremely important to eat well. If we are talking about the diet of a nursing mother, then allergenic foods should be excluded, but at the same time, make sure that the body receives a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Doctors recommend resting more often. Naturally, resting with a baby is not such an easy process. However, it is necessary for both the well-being of the mother and the well-being of the baby.
Homeopathic remedies to boost immunity
Today, homeopathic remedies are becoming more and more popular, which help to correct the work of the body, at the same time without harming it. homeopathic remediesto boost immunity is not so much. However, here are a few of the most effective and popular:
- The drug "Echinacea Compositum" is a fairly effective remedy that stimulates the process of removing toxins from the body, strengthens the immune defense and relieves the inflammatory process.
- "Engiston" is another medicine that can not only strengthen the immune system, accelerate therapy for viral lesions, but also stimulates metabolic processes.
- "Galium" - a drug that is used to treat and prevent viral and bacterial infectious diseases.
Folk methods to increase immune activity
An increase in immunity with folk remedies in adults is considered quite effective. Indeed, there are many medicinal plants that help strengthen the immune system. Some general recommendations, of course, are available. Nevertheless, before starting therapy, you still need to consult a specialist. In folk medicine, the following plants are most often used:
- Ginseng - the plant activates the processes of hematopoiesis, strengthens the body, improves blood circulation in the brain and, accordingly, improves mental processes.
- Schisandra is a plant that contains a large amount of vitamin C, which means it has a positive effect on the state of the immune system.
- Zamaniha - plant extract is able to restore efficiency and increase the tone of the nervous system.
- Levzeya - increases resistance to environmental influences.
- Sterculiahas a lot of valuable properties, helps with mental and physical overwork.
It is worth noting that increasing immunity with folk remedies in adults is a long process. Medicinal plants have the necessary effect, but this happens slowly, over several months, so it is worth preparing for long-term therapy. The advantage of this treatment is its safety.
Proper nutrition and immunity
Almost every expert will tell you that the best way to improve immunity is a balanced, he althy diet. Indeed, thanks to the products, the human body receives the nutritional and building elements it needs, minerals, vitamins and other substances that regulate all processes in cells and tissues.
- For example, proteins perform a lot of functions in the human body. They are a source of amino acids that are simply necessary for the synthesis of immunoglobulins. Doctors advise to include in the diet protein foods (found in meat, fish, dairy products, eggs), as well as vegetable proteins (nuts, lentils, beans).
- Fats are involved in the formation of cells - macrophages, which ensure the destruction of some bacterial microorganisms.
- Carbohydrates are just as important, and it's best to include he althy complex carbohydrates (like fiber) found in fresh fruits, vegetables and grains in your diet.
- Naturally, for the normal functioning of the bodya complex of vitamins is also needed. Important for immunity are substances such as vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid (found in lemon, currant, kiwi, sea buckthorn, wild rose), vitamin E (source is bran, cabbage, sprouted wheat, green salad), vitamin A (found in eggs, liver, carrots, dairy products), B vitamins.
By the way, some experts recommend taking ready-made complexes of vitamins and minerals from time to time, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.
List of foods that positively affect the immune system
If you are interested in means to increase immunity for adults (and children as well), then you should pay attention to some foods that have pronounced immunomodulatory properties. By the way, some of them are not only he althy, but also delicious.
- Many folk healers claim that honey is the most effective remedy for boosting immunity. Indeed, this product contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals and, accordingly, helps to improve metabolism and the functioning of the immune system. Naturally, honey must be natural and not subjected to heat treatment (at high temperatures, this product simply loses its beneficial properties). The daily norm for a person is 100 g of honey, which must be divided into three doses. The course of treatment is 2 months. By the way, honey is an allergenic product, and therefore it must be used carefully, especially when it comes to children.
- Ginger is another best remedy for boosting immunity, at least according to the canons of oriental folk medicine. It has been proven that this product, which, by the way, is mostly used in cooking, contains some antiviral components that help the body resist viral diseases. The easiest medicine to prepare is tea. To do this, you need to thinly chop the ginger root (small size), pour it with a liter of boiling water and let it brew. If desired, you can add a little honey, cinnamon, lemon juice to tea.
- Garlic has pronounced antiviral properties, which contains the powerful antioxidant allicin. Naturally, to achieve results, garlic must be consumed fresh, since the healing properties are lost during heat treatment. For example, you can add garlic to salads or eat it with bread.
Essential oils to enhance the body's immune defenses
If you are looking for an inexpensive way to boost immunity, then you should pay attention to essential oils, which have very valuable properties. In fact, oil is a concentrated analogue of vegetable phytoncides. Many of these products can damage the shell / capsule of viruses and bacteria, thereby making their strains simply not viable. For example, oils of anise, chamomile, citrus, camphor, eucalyptus and lavender have such properties.
But the oil of needles and garlic activates local immunity, stimulating the production of secretory immunoglobulins in the tissues of the nasal mucosa. Peppermint oil, in addition to activating the immune system, accelerates the elimination of toxins from the body. Melissa, verbena, rosemary oils are considered useful. They can be used individually or as a mixture.
By the way, essential oils can be used for inhalation, while taking a bath, as well as for treating rooms using special aromatic lamps.
Additional recommendations
If you are looking for means to increase immunity, then in addition to taking medication, using folk remedies, proper nutrition, you should also pay attention to lifestyle. Your body needs physical activity, which improves blood circulation, normalizes the functioning of internal organs, helps improve the functioning of the endocrine system and even out hormonal levels.
Of course, you need to engage in feasible physical activity - you should not start exhausting workouts in the gym at all, especially if your body is not used to it or there are contraindications. To start light morning runs or just walks in the fresh air will be enough. Yoga is also considered useful, which helps to keep fit, strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and, of course, get rid of stress and improve emotional state.
Hardening also works well, which some experts recommend starting from childhood. For example, a contrast shower, dousing with cold water, walking barefoot in the morning will have a good effect on the state of the body.dew, etc. Naturally, it is necessary to begin the process of adapting the body to temperature changes gradually and only in the absence of diseases. When it comes to hardening a child, it is better to first consult with a specialist.
Good for the state of the body and, accordingly, immunity, regular massage courses, holidays on the seashore, in the mountains, spa treatment, etc. will affect. As you can see, the best way to increase immunity in adults and children - the right, he althy lifestyle.