Our immune system is made up of white blood cells, lymph nodes, and antibodies. Our immune system protects our body and offers resistance against infections and diseases. If we have a weak immune system, we can be prone to falling ill more often as compared to people who have a strong immunity. Let’s find out the signs of a weak immune system.

What are signs of a weak immune system?

• You’re overstressed - If you get stressed too often due to trivial matters, your body’s immunity is also compromised.
• You suffer from a cold very often - Although most people suffer from a cold 3-4 times per year on an average but if you suffer from a cold more often, then it indicates that you have a weak immune system.
  

• Your wounds take time to heal - When we get hurt, our body regenerates and heals the damaged cells. If your body takes a longer than usual time to heal, then your immune system is weak.
  

• You suffer from infections often - People who have a weak immune system suffer from infections more often than others.
  

• You feel tired throughout the day - In spite of getting enough sleep and taking a healthy diet, if you feel fatigued all day then you have a weak immune system.
• You suffer from an upset stomach often - If you suffer from constant GI tract problems such as constipation and diarrhea, then it’s a sign that your immune system is not up to the mark.
  

How to boost immune system?

• Up your vitamins - Eating a healthy diet is of utmost importance to improve resistance to diseases and the key nutrients that can help you do that are Vitamins. Vitamins A, D, C, B6 and E. Vitamins contain lots of antioxidants which help to strengthen the immune system. Antioxidants help to decrease the effect of free radicals. Free radicals are harmful chemicals that can cause damage to the healthy cells of the body and allow viruses a better chance of invasion. In short, antioxidants help to suppress the actions of viruses on the body. Vitamin-rich foods include strawberries, sweet potatoes, salmon, beef, carrots, avocados, bell peppers, tuna, almonds and lean chicken breast.
  

• Consume probiotics - Consuming probiotics helps to strengthen the immune system since they help to balance the gut, i.e. they increase the good bacteria in the body and spike up the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, which help in the functioning of the immune system. Examples of probiotics are yoghurt, buttermilk, pickles, kimchi, and kefir.
  

• Include proteins - If you want to avoid getting sick, you must eat at least 0.8 gms of protein per kg of your body weight per day. Proteins contain a high level of zinc, which is an essential mineral since it helps in the production of white blood cells. White blood cells help the body to fight infections. Lack of enough proteins can give entry to various bacteria and viruses and thus forms an essential part of our body’s immune system. Foods rich in proteins include chicken, eggs, seafood, turkey, and beans.
  

• Fruits and veggies - Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables such as grapes, cherries, oranges, pineapples, bananas, blueberries, yellow apples, pears, limes, mangoes, kiwi, yams, olives, dates, cauliflower, cabbage, kale broccoli and coconuts as they give you all the essential nutrients that are needed for a healthy immune system.
  

• Enough sleep - Lack of enough sleep makes your body more prone to infections and diseases. This is so because our body works to fight infections while we sleep. While we sleep, our body eliminates all the toxins from the body and repairs cells so that you feel rejuvenated and fresh upon waking up. Lack of sleep puts stress on the immune system and weakens the capacity of the body in fighting diseases and infections.
  

• Regular exercise - Regular exercise is the key to eliminate all toxins from the body since we sweat after exercise. Exercise also helps to delay the signs of aging, improves immune regulation and decreases inflammation. Moderate exercise can also help to reduce the chances of contracting illness and infection.

• Say No to smoking - Smoking destroys the antibodies of the body, which are essential for fighting infections. Antibodies are those proteins that are produced by the body’s immune system so that it can combat infections. Smoking also damages one’s lungs to a great extent.
  

Apart from the above, one important thing that you need to do to strengthen your immunity is hand wash. Washing your hands with antibacterial soap and water for 20 seconds on a regular basis, helps to ward off infections and microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses.