Boosting Immunity Amid Rising JN.1 Cases and Respiratory Illness

Posted on: Mar 1, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Boosting Immunity Amid Rising JN.1 Cases and Respiratory Illness

Tips To Stay Safe From COVID-19 JN.1 Infection and Respiratory Illness

The winter season is here, and cold wave conditions are prevailing in several parts of the country. Considering that respiratory illnesses surge during winter, it is important to take suitable measures to boost your body’s natural defences and stay safe. Moreover, there has been a significant rise in the JN.1 virus COVID-19 cases in India of late. Therefore, if you reside in a place where the winter chill has set in, make sure you take good care of your health and include ample amounts of immunity-boosting foods in your diet. Also, cover yourself and your loved ones under adequate individual or family health insurance policies so that you can opt for quality and timely treatment if required.

Tips to boost your immunity this winter season

The following are simple yet effective ways to boost your immune system function and stay safe from COVID-19 infection and other respiratory conditions.

1. Include immunity-boosting foods in your diet

The best way to boost your immune system is to consciously include lots of nutritious foods in your diet. Some healthy options include —

• Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruit, are packed with vitamin C, a vital nutrient that helps boost immunity. Vitamin C helps increase the production of white blood cells in the body, an important component that strengthens the body’s immune response and guards against infections and illnesses.

• Vegetables

Some vegetables, such as broccoli, tomatoes, white potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and bell peppers, are good sources of vitamin C and other nutrients. Therefore, make it a point to include them in your winter diet. These vegetables will also provide important dietary fibre to your body and support your digestive health.

• Leafy greens

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard, are good sources of vitamins A, B, C, K, and more. Therefore, including these foods in your diet can strengthen your immune system, fight free radical damage and promote your overall health.

• Nuts & seeds

Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds, are rich sources of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats. Therefore, make it a point to consume a handful of nuts during the winter season to promote your overall well-being.

• Ginger and garlic

These foods exhibit antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, including these superfoods in your diet can ensure better health and immunity.

• Turmeric

In addition to combatting inflammation, turmeric helps regulate immune system function. Therefore, incorporating turmeric in different foods and beverages can help you stay safe from respiratory infections in the winter season.

• Other foods

Probiotics, yoghurt, lean protein, and poultry can strengthen the immune system.

2. Stay hydrated

Water and other liquids can help eliminate harmful bacteria and toxins from your body and prevent infections. Therefore, make sure you increase your intake of water, green tea, soups, fruit juices and other healthy beverages during the winter season.

3. Stay active

Following an exercise regimen and staying active can also strengthen your immune system. When you are active, your body produces more white blood cells, which can help keep infections and other conditions at bay.

4. Get enough sleep

Make sure you get 7-8 hours of restful sleep at night for your overall well-being. Lack of sleep can significantly affect the production of white blood cells (WBCs) or immune cells in your body and make you prone to infections and illnesses.

5. Keep stress at bay

Stress increases the production of cortisol, and this hormone suppresses the activity of white blood cells in your body. Therefore, practising yoga, meditation and other stress-reducing activities every day is important to boost immunity and maintain good mental and physical health.

6. Limit alcohol intake

Consuming too much alcohol can also slow down the immune system and increase the risk of infections and illnesses. Therefore, it is important to moderate alcohol intake, especially during the winter season.

7. Quit smoking

The healthy functioning of the immune system is affected by smoking and makes you susceptible to infections and diseases. In addition to respiratory conditions, smoking can also lead to life-threatening conditions like cancer.

Conclusion

These are some important tips that can help boost your immune system function during the winter season and keep away infections and illnesses. Therefore, make these important changes to your diet and lifestyle to overcome the challenges of the cold weather season and the new COVID-19 JN.1 virus. However, if you are allergic to any food or suffer from a pre-existing condition, talk to your doctor before making any significant changes to your lifestyle and diet. Also, make sure you cover yourself and your family under health insurance policies. If there is a medical emergency, you can opt for treatment at a reputed hospital without worrying about bearing the expenses.

Disclaimer The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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