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7 tips to boost immunity naturally
Viruses attack from all sides. Friends give one piece of advice, doctors give another, and beekeepers also have something to say on the subject. We'll share 7 of our tried and tested tips on how to boost immunity naturally.
Why is it important to strengthen immunity?
Immunity is our weapon. Bees have stings, but we only have our immunity. Our well-being, mood and health depend on how it reacts to our environment. When we are attacked by a bad virus or bacteria, our immunity starts to fight it off with a variety of weapons. Strengthening your immunity is important because the stronger your immunity is, the quicker and easier it is to fight off pathogens. Often even sooner than the first signs of illness. Meanwhile, passive immunity, devoid of the body's resources, allows the disease to take hold, increasing the chance of complications.
How to boost immunity with natural means?
Immunity boosting is sometimes popularly known as hardening - it is about increasing the body's resistance to disease. First of all, we want to stress that immunity is not developed in one day - This requires cell renewal, the accumulation of a wide range of substances, and the synthesis of necessary proteins and other processes. So no matter what you do to boost your immunity, you can't expect to see an effect in a few days. Building immunity is a continuous effort.
1. Physical activity
Active walking, jogging, exercising, working with weights - all physical activity improves the immune system. Researchers have found that sport helps protect against ageing by keeping the immune system active through a variety of mechanisms.
2. Quality sleep
Sleep is how our bodies recover. It takes a break from stress (less cortisol and adrenaline are produced) and at the same time, the immune system can better recover and strengthen. The same is true when we are ill - there is a reason why we want to sleep more when we are ill - sleep speeds up the recovery process. SIt is recommended that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep and follow a daily routine. This helps to reduce the multiple stresses that suppress the immune system and stimulate it to recover and function. So let's start by strengthening immunity by establishing a clear work/rest/sleep routine.
3. Stress management
Stress and immunity are directly linked. The more stress, the less immunity. Stress hormones not only disrupt sleep, as described above, but also mobilise the whole body to fight a threat, so that it no longer has time to prepare itself to fight micro-organisms. Prolonged stress exhausts the body, which becomes incapable of fighting back. If you have ever been ill when you really wanted to take a break from everything, but didn't allow yourself to do so, there is a good chance that the body simply couldn't resist all the negative factors anymore, and gave up, forcing you to "rest" when you got sick. Let's learn to control stressful situations, calm down and reduce anxiety: read books, watch films, listen to music, etc.
4. Dietary habits
Unhealthy food puts the body under a kind of stress. In addition, we don't get all the nutrients we need. The immune system is like a house - if there are no bricks, there is no way to build it. That is why it is essential to take care of a complete diet. You must also have heard the saying that immunity is in our gut, and it is quite apt. A healthy and well-functioning gut not only provides us with nutrients and vitamins and minerals by digesting food well, but also breaks down many pathogens. Especially in the stomach. Thus, gastrointestinal health helps improve the formation and functioning of the immune system.
Boosting your immune system with bee products
The above are some of the key factors for enjoying strong immunity. If we manage to do all of these, we can also add immune-boosting supplements or products to our diet and lifestyle. Some of these are bee productswhich have been used in our folk medicine for centuries. So if you are thinking about how to strengthen your immunity naturally, here are some recommendations.
5. Protecting the body's "gates"
The nose, eyes and mouth are some of the main gateways for viruses to enter our bodies. If our skin is healthy, its stratum corneum provides reliable protection against pathogens. Mucosal mucous membranes are much more vulnerable. Both our mouths and noses have primary checkpoints and protection points - the hairs and tonsils - where bacteria or viruses are trapped. However, viruses, being very small, sometimes enter our body unnoticed. To stop them, we can use external protective measures - propolis oil, ointments, pitch spray. How to make them is described in the post "How to prepare bee pitch extract".
Apply the oils to the nasal passages, lips or other mucous membranes 2-4 times a day. This is especially important to do before leaving the house. Propolis spray should also be applied to the throat 2-4 times a day, 1-2 sprays at a time. These ointments and sprays can be used as many as 8-10 times when you feel a cold or other symptoms of illness. The main active ingredient propolis has a pain-relieving effect, and also kills many micro-organisms by the direct action of bee pitch. Therefore, sprays or oils should be used regularly and should not be drunk or eaten for at least 15 minutes after use. You can read more about bee pitch in our post "What is propolis, what are its benefits for us and how to use it".
6. Strengthen ourselves
When viruses are rampant, everyone is always talking about strengthening the immune system, but a strong immune system is not possible without strengthening all the supporting systems - the digestive and nervous systems. To strengthen the body, we need to feed it with beneficial vitamins, minerals and other substances. Bee products are probably the most suitable for this purpose natural Honey, pollen, bee bread and royal jelly.
Royal jelly should be taken before the symptoms of the disease are felt or after the acute phase has passed, and only by those who do not have high blood pressure. During the 14-day course, take 75 mg of royal jelly twice a day (before lunch) by slowly sucking it in your mouth. Then take a break.
Take 2-3 teaspoons of pollen and 1-2 teaspoons of breadfruit once a day. Take in 2-4 week courses, one product per choice. It can be chewed slowly and swallowed in the mouth, or made into a drink with warm water. A glass of warm water will help the absorption of all the beneficial substances. How to make it all here: morning drink
It is also recommended to eat 1-2 tablespoons of honey per day. Even more if you are sick. This can easily be done by replacing sugar with honey and by using honey with various health-giving spices, berries (especially lingonberries or cranberries), horseradish and even garlic.
7. Take care of ourselves always
The key to all the health-boosting, body-cleansing, immunity-boosting and all sorts of other remedies is systematic use. Whether you take bee products, vitamins from the pharmacy, herbal teas or lemon juice. Natural health products only work when taken over a long enough period of time. Therefore, it is recommended to use bee products in 2-4 week courses. Honey can be used continuously.
At this time of year, bee products should be used both externally and internally - combine propolis with bee bread or pollen, and don't forget propolis sprays. They are a reinforcement for our first line of defence.
That's all the tips you need to strengthen your immunity naturally. All the advice on using bee products is based on information provided by the Apitherapy Association for those who want to stay healthy, youthful and happy with the help of bees. The consumption recommendations are aimed at people aged 15-75 who have already consumed bee products and are not allergic to them. If you have not tried bee products before, start using small amounts and monitor yourself. If you have a chronic illness, consult your doctor about the use of bee products.
Stay healthy and happy!
Our kitty products for your immunity:
Royal jelly (royal jelly)
Original price was: €28.60.€24.30Current price is: €24.30.
Bee bread
€2.70 - €14.80
Bee pollen
€2.20 - €6.80
In this article, we have drawn on the following sources:
- Besedovsky, L., Lange, T., & Haack, M. (2019). The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiological reviews, 99(3), 1325-1380. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00010.2018
- Nieman, D., & Wentz, L.M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body's defense system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8, 201 – 217.