Factors that affect the immune system

Often when we become a parent we are so busy with our little one that we sometimes forget to take time for ourselves or fail to look after ourselves correctly.

Taking care of yourself is important.

One way to do this is by keeping your immune system healthy.

We often get so caught up in being a new parent or the everyday moments of parenthood that we often forget, and/or don’t make time to look after ourselves.

It is so important to look after ourselves yet we seem to instinctively come second.

We need to ask ourselves the question. What would happen if we fail to remember to look after ourselves? Quite often we become sick.

There are some measures we can take that are easy in helping to protect ourselves from getting sick and looking after ourselves through looking after our immune system.

By being aware of factors that can affect our immune system and ultimately our health we can aim to deter or ward off sickness and also boost our energy and feeling of well being.

• Poor diet: Those quick non-nutritious take-away and snacks high in starch, sugar and fat don’t give us the nutrients we need to help us ward off viruses. We all know what really constitutes a good diet… the norm of eat less sugar, salt and fats and eat more healthy fruit ad vegetables but sometimes when we are busy and perhaps time poor parents this may tend to be something that is not as readily followed. Diet has a direct link to your immune system and vitality.
• Not getting enough outdoors or fresh air and sunshine. Sun (in appropriate amounts) enables Vitamin D synthesis which helps boost our immune system.
• Working in an air-conditioned environment. This can increase your risk of catching others viruses and bacteria.
• Stress: Being under mental, physical, emotional or even chemical stress will ultimately lead to having negative effects on our immune system. We need to develop strategies or find ways to deal with, better manage or alleviate our stress.
• Our general well-being and happiness. How we feel, especially if we are unhappy, unwell or depressed will affect our immune system and allow it to be attacked.
• Lack of exercise: Those that exercise and walk at least 30 minutes per day not only live longer but it is proven that they fight sickness better and get sick less often.
• Lack of sleep: We all need around 7 hours of sleep per night but as a parent we may not always get it.
• Smoking: This is your decision. We are not dictating that you must stop and you are surely aware of the health factors surrounding smoking. One is the effect on your immune system. We can’t ignore the effects of smoking so it does need to be added.
• Fluid intake: We should all drink 8 glasses of water per day and limit our alcohol and sugary drink intake. You may be surprised the impact this has on your immune system.
• Being aware of our limitations: Being alert to what we can physically do in a day and what just is not possible and not giving yourself a hard time about what is not completed/achieved is important. Your mental health is critical in your health.
• Forgetting to take time for yourself to stop, relax, breathe and enjoy what you have.