Certain behaviors can make the body more vulnerable to diseases
This has been confirmed by specialists at the Immuno Center at the Humanitas Hospital in Milan, a center for immunopulmonary diseases conceived with the aim of precision medicine, which integrates research with clinical skills in gastroenterology, pulmonology and allergy, dermatology and rheumatology.
Poor sleep
During sleep, the body intensifies the immune response to viruses and bacteria. Consequently, poor sleep does not allow the body to fight diseases effectively, as confirmed by a study published in Pflügers Archiv – European Journal of Physiology.
“Other studies have shown that our immune system works differently depending on the time of day,” confirms Professor Carlo Selmi, Head of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Humanitas and professor at the University of Milan.
Tip: 7-8 hours of sleep allows the immune system to be at its peak efficiency.
Sitting all day
Lack of exercise can prolong the course of illness, and the evidence was found in a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which found that respiratory infections lasted 42% longer in volunteers who did physical activity once a week or less, compared to those who did aerobic exercise 5 or more times a week.
Tip: Try to do some moderate physical activity every day, which can be as simple as a short walk during lunchtime.
Feeling alone
A five-year study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shown that norepinephrine is higher in people who feel lonely: during a crisis, this hormone increases the production of white blood cells that help heal wounds, but the process shuts down the part of the immune system that fights viruses, leaving the body more exposed to disease.
“The link between psychological or neurological disorders and the immune system is something that has been suspected for a long time,” Selmi points out, “but that science has only recently shown. And another example is related to the blockade of interleukin 6, one of the loudest voices of inflammation, whose blockade – now used in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis – also has beneficial effects on depression.”
Consuming the wrong fats
The wrong fats damage the immune system, causing inflammation. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, omega 3 have natural anti-inflammatory properties and help the body to control proteins that are able to recognize pathogens.
“Omega 3 fats are important in the processes of digestion and intestinal inflammation, in which they play a key role,” says Professor Silvio Danese, head of the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and professor at Humanitas University.
Using antibiotics too often
Antibiotics disrupt the communication between the immune system and the bacteria – both good and bad – in the body, thus weakening the ability to resist disease.
“Excessive use of antibiotics in childhood increases the risk of developing chronic inflammatory bowel disease,” warns Danesi.
Tip: When possible, it’s best to let the body fight off the discomfort on its own. In other words, it’s best to avoid going to the doctor to get antibiotics.
Your partner doesn’t have a good immune system
Research published in the journal Nature Immunology found that parents who live together have 50% less variation in their mutual immune systems than a person living in the larger population, and according to the study authors, this can be explained by the fact that people who live together have the same environment and tend to have the same habits.
“It is likely that this is related to the sharing of intestinal and oral bacterial flora,” suggests Selmi, which can also be exchanged with a kiss.
Excessive alcohol consumption
Alcohol is a suppressant of the immune system, because it reduces the effectiveness of white blood cells in attacking harmful bacteria and impairs the body’s ability to produce cells that can resist viruses.
Being overweight
Obesity is a form of severe malnutrition and can cause a change in the number of white blood cells, reducing the body’s ability to resist disease. Not surprisingly, a report on nutritional procedures explains how abdominal and organ fat affect the immune system much more than total body fat.
“The fat surrounding the intestine of patients with Crohn’s disease plays a key role in the production of inflammatory cytokines,” explains Danesi, “and may represent a therapeutic target.”
