Decreased immune activity is a very common problem, especially in the modern world, where the human body has to withstand the negative impact of the external and internal environment. Naturally, such a situation is extremely dangerous, since to one extent 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 quite natural that people are interested in the question of whether there are means to strengthen immunity.
It is immediately worth noting that improving the body is a complex process, and therefore should include several stages at once. For example, there are medicines and folk remedies for strengthening immunity, but they are unlikely to give the desired effect if you ignore other needs of the body, abandon physical activity and do not follow the rules of a healthy diet. Therefore, it is worth considering the whole range of measures that are necessary to normalize the body.
Why are there problems in the functioning of the immune system?
As you know, in the modern world, the human body constantly has to deal with the impact of external and internal environment. Improper nutrition, gas pollution, poor water, a sedentary lifestyle, constant stress, infection with parasites and pathogenic bacteria - all this does not exactly contribute to the normal functioning of the human body. But before looking for an effective tool to increase immunity in adults, it is worthwhile to understand some reasons for reducing its activity:
- Adverse environmental conditions, including gas pollution (for example, in large cities), hazardous industries (especially relevant for people who work in these industries), radioactive background, etc.
- Poor quality foods (including stale ones), poorly prepared diets, vitamin deficiencies, poor hygiene during cooking, constant malnutrition and dangerous mono-diets for weight loss.
- Poor 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).
- Congenital abnormalities present.
- Chronic inflammatory diseases, infection of the body with parasites, bacterial and fungal organisms, viruses.
- Bad habits, including alcohol abuse and smoking.
- A sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular physical activity, constantly staying in unventilated rooms, etc.
- Constant stresses, increased mental stress, nervous strain at work, etc.
Weakened immunity and associated problems
Means to increase immunity - this is what is necessary for almost every person. A decrease in immune activity is fraught with a host of complications, including:
- Frequent colds, and sometimes they last for several weeks, and the rehabilitation period after infection is difficult.
- The development of anemia and weakness.
- The development of chronic fatigue.
- Frequent allergic reactions, because allergy is inherently an inadequate response of the immune system to contact with a particular substance.
- Dryness and hypersensitivity of the skin, the appearance of irritation.
- Hair becomes dull and weak, nails exfoliate and break.
- Constant fatigue and drowsiness appear.
- People often complain of problems with digestion, which is accompanied by indigestion, constipation, diarrhea.
- Papillomas and herpetic eruptions often appear on the skin.
- Patients with reduced immunity often have dental problems.
- Sudden changes in weight are observed, both weight loss and weight gain.
In fact, this is only 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 affects the mood, libido, and the reproductive system.
What is needed to normalize the immune system?
It should be understood that the work of all systems of human organs is connected - you cannot normalize the functioning of one, ignoring the need for treatment of the other. Medicines to increase immunity, of course, will help to achieve results, but in order to maintain the effect of drugs, you will need to change your lifestyle:
- To begin with, of course, you need to undergo a full examination of the body for infection with parasites. If necessary, an important point will be a full-fledged therapy of a 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 review the diet and include in the menu products containing a sufficient amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which will help not only increase immunity, but also normalize metabolism.
- An effective means of increasing immunity is physical activity (feasible, of course), sufficient exposure to fresh air, the absence of constant stress and strain, normal sleep and work / rest.
Medications to boost immune activity
As a rule, folk remedies are often used to increase immunity in children and adults. Nevertheless, in severe cases, when the immune system is greatly weakened (for example, as a result of a serious illness), medication is necessary. Modern medicine offers several varieties of similar drugs that can be divided into several groups:
- herbal medicines, including tinctures of echinacea, lemongrass, eleutherococcus, ginseng;
- preparations consisting of bacterial enzymes, for example Likopid, Bronchomunal;
- nucleic acid drugs;
- preparations containing interferon;
- preparations - 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).
It’s worth saying right away that only a doctor can prescribe such medicines. Dosage and schedule of administration are selected individually. For example, funds for increasing immunity in children are taken differently than in the treatment of adults. To begin with, it is worth considering several of the most popular drugs:
- "Arbidol" is a medicine with immunomodulating and antiviral effects. Available in the form of capsules and, according to reviews, it really helps to normalize the functioning of the immune system. By the way, in an appropriate dosage, the drug is prescribed for children over two years of age.
- "Bronchomunal" is a drug that is widely used to treat secondary immunodeficiency, developing against a background of protracted inflammatory or infectious diseases.
- Eleutherococcus extract - is available in the form of tincture and is a herbal remedy. True, the course of therapy lasts at least a month, and the effect appears gradually.
If we are talking about the correction of immunity in children, then doctors often recommend the use of suppositories. By the way, this same form of the drug can also be used to treat adult patients. For example, the best means to increase immunity are Anaferon, Viferon, Immutil, Kipferon. It is believed that drugs in the form of suppositories are more effective, since active medicinal substances are almost completely absorbed by the body. Also, medicines in this form are more convenient to use for treating babies, as young children cannot take pills.
Means for increasing immunity in children
In fact, 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 with a small one, for example, it is not so warm to dress the baby for a walk.
An important step is a diet rich in vitamins. If we are talking about babies, then a nursing mother must carefully monitor her diet. In the event that the baby is on artificial feeding, parents should carefully choose milk formulas.
Naturally, sometimes taking medications is necessary, but only the attending physician can help with this. Folk remedies to increase immunity in children also need to be selected carefully, it is advisable that a specialist in herbal treatment do this.
How to increase immunity during pregnancy and the postpartum period?
What remedies does immunity offer to 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 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, patients in position are offered to take herbal preparations, in particular tincture of lemongrass, ginseng. Sometimes other drugs, such as Immunal, are also included in the therapy. The same applies to the postpartum period, but, again, you can’t take something by yourself - 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 it is necessary to exclude allergenic products, 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 a simple process. Nevertheless, it is necessary both for the well-being of the mother and for the well-being of the baby.
Homeopathic remedies to enhance immunity
Today, homeopathic remedies are becoming more and more popular, which help to adjust the functioning of the body, while not harming it. Homeopathic remedies to increase immunity are not so many. Nevertheless, you can consider several of the most effective and popular:
- The drug "Echinacea Compositum" is a fairly effective tool that stimulates the processes of elimination of 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 the metabolism.
- "Galium" - a drug that is used to treat and prevent viral and bacterial infectious diseases.
Alternative methods of increasing immune activity
It is considered quite effective to increase immunity with folk remedies in adults. Indeed, there are many medicinal plants that help strengthen the immune system. Some general recommendations are naturally 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 blood formation processes, strengthens the body, improves blood circulation in the brain and, accordingly, improves mental processes.
- Schisandra - 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.
- Leuzea - increases resistance to environmental influences.
- Sterkulia has 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 you should prepare for long-term therapy. The advantage of this treatment is its safety.
Proper nutrition and immunity
Almost every specialist will tell you that the best way to increase immunity is a balanced, proper diet. Indeed, thanks to the products, the human body receives the necessary nutrients and building elements, minerals, vitamins and other substances that regulate all processes in cells and tissues.
- For example, proteins perform many 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 protein products (found in meat, fish, dairy products, eggs), as well as vegetable proteins (nuts, lentils, beans) in the diet.
- Fats are involved in the formation of cells - macrophages, which provide the destruction of some bacterial microorganisms.
- Carbohydrates are equally important, and it’s better to include healthy complex carbohydrates (such as fiber) found in fresh fruits, vegetables, and cereals.
- Naturally, for the normal functioning of the body, a complex of vitamins is also necessary. Important substances for immunity are such substances as vitamin C, it is also ascorbic acid (found in lemon, currant, kiwi, sea buckthorn, rosehip), vitamin E (bran, cabbage, sprouted wheat, green salad), vitamin A (found in eggs, liver, carrots, dairy products), vitamins of group B.
By the way, some experts recommend from time to time to take ready-made complexes of vitamins and minerals, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.
List of products 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 immunomodulating properties. By the way, some of them are not only healthy, but also tasty.
- Many folk doctors say that the most effective way to increase immunity is honey. Indeed, this product contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals and, accordingly, helps to establish metabolism and the functioning of the immune system. Naturally, honey must be natural and must not be subjected to heat treatment (at high temperatures, this product simply loses its useful 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 way to increase immunity, at least this is evidenced by the canons of oriental traditional medicine. It is proved 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, finely 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 the tea.
- Garlic, which contains a powerful antioxidant allicin, has pronounced antiviral properties. Naturally, in order to achieve results, garlic should be consumed fresh, since the healing properties of the garlic are lost. 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 means to increase immunity, then you should pay attention to essential oils, which have very valuable properties. In fact, oil is a concentrated analogue of plant volatile. Many such products can damage the envelope / capsule of viruses and bacteria, thereby making their strains simply unviable. For example, anise, chamomile, citrus, camphor, eucalyptus and lavender oils 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. Useful are the oils of lemon balm, verbena, rosemary. , .
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