Delfi.lt. The doctor listed three immunity "whales": she applies these rules herself
Delfi.lt. The doctor listed three immunity "whales": she applies these rules herself
To protect your immune system, you need to exercise, but the radical exercise methods that are currently gaining popularity may not be suitable for everyone. The doctor urges you to not forget about quality sleep, food, and the need to move to strengthen your immunity.
Jurgita Šiupšinskaitė, an expert on the information platform "Your Immunity", and an endobiogenics doctor, tells the media in a statement that although bathing in icy water is becoming very popular, it is by no means a universal method of boosting immunity.
"Ice water shock is definitely not suitable for everyone - it depends a lot on each person's physical condition and body constitution. If you want to try swimming in ice water, I would suggest first consulting with specialists in this field who know about the methods of hardening in such water, and looking for reliable information. This is a really good way of hardening, but it may not necessarily be suitable for everyone," says J. Šiupšinskaitė.
Need a soft start
The doctor advises starting to harden from a low threshold.
"For example, if you spend a lot of time outdoors, walking your dog every day in any weather, this threshold is higher for you and you can start hardening by simply dressing a little less. You can stay outdoors for a shorter time, but move more intensely," says J. Šiupšinskaitė.
For people who have been stuck at home, haven't been outside much during quarantine, or have gained weight, the doctor doesn't recommend immediately running outside with less clothing. According to her, you should start by simply ventilating the rooms well – opening the windows completely and ventilating the rooms well before going to bed. "Then, after a few days, put on a sweater and stand by the open window for a while. And so on, gradually increasing the dose of cold.
"Also, at home, while standing in the shower, you can pour cool water over yourself. Every day you can gradually lower the temperature and increase the duration of the procedure," says J. Šiupšinskaitė.
Three whales of immunity
The doctor herself admits that she felt the greatest effect on strengthening her immunity when she started walking to and from work every day, regardless of the weather.
"It may seem like just a few kilometers, but the benefits were obvious," she claims.
However, the doctor reminds us that three "whales" are needed to strengthen immunity: not only daily exposure to fresh air, but also sufficient, quality sleep and quality food.
"I not only repeat it to patients, but I also apply it in my life. I always try to get enough sleep. And whenever I see that I haven't had enough rest, I try to find ways to get proper rest and sleep, for example, by taking an extra day off. If we are not rested, we will not be able to properly take care of others."
I also try not to eat in cafes, semi-finished products, I cook food at home. This way I am sure whether I am eating quality food and whether I can expect to get the microelements that are so necessary. And, if necessary, I take food supplements to strengthen immunity,” J. Šiupšinskaitė shares her example.
Supplements – to supplement, not replace
The doctor reminds us that if we eat really high-quality food, we can get most of the micronutrients from food. Supplements, as indicated on their packaging, are only intended to supplement the diet, not to replace certain products.
According to her, it is always best for a person to see a doctor to have blood tests done to determine which vitamins and microelements they are lacking.
"In my practice, I usually conduct tests to find out if there is a lack of vitamin D, for women - folic acid, as well as B12, chromium, zinc, iron - it depends a lot on the individual situation of the person. But why not test the level of vitamin D in winter, when it is the darkest period? After all, we use our body's resources. As you know, practically 80 percent of people need to replenish their vitamin D reserves during the winter period," says J. Šiupšinskaitė.
