Paul Haarman: The Faceoff Between Immunity and COVID- 19

Ever since the pandemic outbreak, the concerns over the immune system, mental well-being, and health have intensified. One common thing that everyone has been repeating is the role of solid immunity in fighting off the virus and protecting people from succumbing to it. And it is also true that a person with a sound immune system can stand up to flu and other infections. If they catch germs, they can heal and rebound better than others. Plus, many other medical conditions can also remain at bay. So, apart from taking necessary precautions like washing hands, pay attention to your immune health. Here are some insights on this.

Immunity and exposure to coronavirus

Your immune system is a labyrinth of cells spread all over in blood, skin, and other parts. These cells save you from harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses in addition to sunburn and cancer.

Immune cells tend to be of two types – adaptive cells and innate immune cells. Innate immune cells are the first defense as they detect potential threats and charge up a system to dispel them. On the other hand, adaptive cells contain immune memory as the second layer of immunity. These cells recognize bacteria and viruses that attacked your body to destroy them and prevent them from causing any damage to you.

Paul Haarman points out that your immunity doesn’t respond to COVID-19 as strongly since it is a new virus type. So it doesn’t have immune memory to make your defense solid against this. That’s why people are susceptible. But vaccines essentially boost your immune system to ward off the virus if you ever get exposed to it.

Caring for your immunity

Everyone knows that weak immunity increases health risks and susceptibility to coronavirus also. If you wish to protect your immune system, you need to cultivate a few good lifestyle habits, as mentioned by Paul Haarman. For example, smoking is dangerous to your immune system and lungs. Due to this, you can easily contract viral infection or pneumonia. Hence, try to wean yourself from this. However, you cannot change it overnight. Work slowly and steadily toward this. Your conscious efforts will prove more helpful.

Another reason for a weaker immune system can be improper diet or malnutrition. You need to maintain a balance of vitamins and minerals in your body for healthy immunity. If specific nutrients are deficient in your body, you can replenish them through supplements to improve your response to pathogens. Besides, eating fresh and nutritious meals is necessary.

One more thing you can do is sleep well. When you sleep right, your body’s repair system gets active, removing wear and tear caused by hectic life. It is again a role of your immune system. So, when you allow your body to rest, you support your immunity.

These are basic things that most people know. But evolving lifestyle choices and priorities change their focus. After the havoc wreaked by the pandemic, the attention is back to this critical thing. Make sure not to lose focus on this.