Eating Habits that can weaken your Immune System

The immune system plays a crucial role in protecting your body against viruses and infections.

That is, of course, if it works properly. If not, it will frequently fail to protect you, leaving you exposed to dangerous germs or substances.

With that in mind, you realize that keeping your immune system strong and healthy is absolutely crucial, especially now when the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc worldwide.

However, ensuring your immune response is always top-notch takes much more effort than eating vitamin C.

Of course, consuming vitamins and minerals is the right thing to do, especially if you purchase your supplements from natural and top-quality providers like Primal Harvest. It's not enough, though.

You can take as many supplements as you want, but they won't help your system unless you maintain a healthy diet. What you eat and drink significantly impacts your immune system.

Certain foods can improve your immune response, whereas others can severely weaken it. And it's the latter we'll focus on in the following article.

Below, you'll find the list of eating habits that can negatively affect the way your immune system functions.

Getting rid of them is the first step you should take when looking for a way to boost your immunity to germs and viruses.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Many people have turned to alcohol after the coronavirus outbreak. And while having a glass of wine to your meal can be a relatively healthy way to cope with the situation we're in, drinking too much, even in the short term, can have disastrous effects on your health.

For instance, various researches prove that excessive alcohol intake can negatively impact the immune system. The most common effects include a greater likelihood of developing pneumonia or acute respiratory distress symptoms (ARDS).

Among other effects, we can mention a higher risk of having sepsis, poor wound healing, or worse recovery from infections.

Caffeine Overdose

Who doesn't love to start their day with a cup of coffee? It boosts your spirits and gives you much-needed support to get through the day of work.

What's more, coffee is known for its high level of antioxidants linked with anti-inflammation.

Does that mean we should increase our caffeine intake? No. On the contrary, it's best to lower the number of your coffee cups to a minimum. 

Too much caffeine interferes with sleep, which can increase inflammation and put your immunity at risk.

Forgetting About Fruits and Vegetables

What's the best thing to do when you catch a cold? If your answer is a bowl of chicken soup, you're not wrong, but it's not what we have in mind here. 

What we're talking about is the increase of a vitamin C intake.

The best way to do that, aside from consuming natural supplements, is by eating more fruits and vegetables, especially citruses or garlic.

Unfortunately, many people tend to forget about the significance of healthy greens in their diets.

Implementing more veggies and fruits in your diet is the best way to naturally provide your immune system with the vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly.

Low Water Intake

Among all the drinks we should consume, for some reason, water is the least popular. Yet, drinking it is probably the easiest way to give your immune system the boost it needs to remain strong and healthy.

The right water consumption helps to carry oxygen to your body cells, allowing all your systems to function properly.

It also helps to remove toxins from your body and prevent them from building up, which can have a negative impact on your system.

As a rule of thumb, both men and women should drink approximately 8-ounce glasses of water per day. However, your overall fluid intake may differ depending on the diet, season, or lifestyle.

Eating Junk Food

No matter how great it may taste, eating junk food has severe consequences on your overall health, including your immune system.

In fact, every time you swallow a cheeseburger, your body reacts as if you've just eaten a host of harmful bacteria.

All because these kinds of foods are loaded with carbohydrates, fat, and salt. That makes your immune system believe that you're in danger, forcing it to jump into action.

And if that doesn't convince you, don't forget about the increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and other heart-related diseases that come with excessive fast food consumption.

Salt and Sugar Overdose

It's hard to determine which one is more harmful - sugar, or salt overdose. Both have significant negative effects on your health and immune system, and both can lead to several chronic diseases.

For instance, a diet high in sugar can reduce your immune cells' ability to absorb bacteria. 

With that in mind, keeping your blood sugar balance on the right level is crucial. It may mean you'd have to cut back on your daily sugar intake, which sometimes isn't an easy task.

And when it comes to excessive salt intake, various researches have proven that eating too much can lead to immune defects. 

And since approximately 70% of Americans' salt consumption comes from processed foods, it may be a good idea to get rid of them from your diet.

Final Note

As you can see, nutrition plays a crucial role in keeping your immune system strong. Bad eating habits can damage your immunity, leaving you exposed to various threats. That's why it's good to know which products to eat and which to ditch.

However, aside from bad eating habits, there are also many more things that can harm your immunity and make you susceptible to germs or infections. Among other causes of the weakened immune system, experts include:

● Forgetting to wash your hands

● Bad sleeping habits

● Poor dental hygiene

● Not getting enough exercise

● Smoking

All that can have disastrous effects on your immune system, and considering the COVID-19 infection still on the cards, keeping it strong has never been more important. 

That's why if you wish to boost your immunity, it's best to start by getting rid of bad habits and improving your nutrition.