The Role of Antioxidants and Exercise in Immunity

Did you know that the food you eat can have a significant impact on your immune system? It’s true.

And while there are many things you can do to support your innate immunity, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise are two of the most important.

When you do these things, you’re not only supporting your overall health, but you’re also helping to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. These are two major contributing factors to a weakened immune system.

In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of curcumin and other natural antioxidants in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

We’ll also talk about how exercise can benefit the immune system by reducing infection risk and inflammatory potential. And finally, we’ll touch on how functional medicine can play a key role in supporting the body’s innate immunity.

How Antioxidants Can Benefit Immunity

Your immune system is constantly working to protect you from illness and disease. But sometimes, it can become overwhelmed by inflammation and oxidative stress. This is where antioxidants come in.

Antioxidants are substances that help to neutralize free radicals and other harmful molecules in the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells, leading to inflammation.

Curcumin is a type of antioxidant that has been shown to be particularly effective in reducing inflammation. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, a spice that has been used for centuries in traditional Indian medicine.

Studies have shown that curcumin can help to reduce inflammation by inhibiting the activity of certain inflammatory enzymes. It can also help to boost the activity of antioxidant enzymes, which helps to further protect cells from damage.

In addition to curcumin, there are many other natural antioxidants that can help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. These include vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and zinc.

You can get these antioxidants from foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. You can also take supplements to ensure you’re getting enough.

 

Exercise for Immunity

Exercise is another important factor in supporting immunity. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and breathing rate. This helps to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to cells, including immune cells.

Exercise also helps to reduce stress hormones like cortisol. High levels of cortisol can suppress the immune system.

In addition, exercise can help to reduce inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a major contributing factor to many diseases, including several autoimmune disorders.

Research has shown that regular exercise can help to reduce inflammation by reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins that play a role in the immune response.

Exercise is also beneficial for gut health. The gut is home to 70% of the body’s immune cells. Therefore, maintaining a healthy gut is essential for a strong immune system.

Exercise can help to improve gut health by reducing inflammation and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Functional Medicine and Immunity

Functional medicine is a type of healthcare that looks at the whole person, not just symptoms. It takes into account all of the factors that contribute to health, including diet, lifestyle, and environment.

Functional medicine practitioners often work with people who have chronic illnesses, such as autoimmune disorders. This is because functional medicine can be very effective in treating the underlying causes of these conditions.

For example, if someone has an autoimmune disorder, it’s likely that they have a gut imbalance. This means that there are too many bad bacteria and not enough good bacteria in the gut. This can lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system.

By restoring gut health, functional medicine practitioners can help to reduce inflammation and support immunity.

Learn More with Internal Healing and Wellness – The Woodlands, Texas Functional Medicine Team

If you’re interested in learning more about how diet, lifestyle, and functional medicine can support immunity, contact Internal Healing and Wellness – The Woodlands, Texas Functional Medicine team.

Our team of functional medicine practitioners are experts in treating the underlying causes of chronic illness and are ready to help you on your journey to optimal health. Contact Dr. Khan at Internal Healing and Wellness today to schedule a consultation.