How to Boost Your Immune System After Contracting COVID-19

Meta title: How to Boost Your Immune System After Contracting COVID-19
Meta description: Boosting your immune system is an easy way to help your body fight COVID-19.
Permalink: how-to-boost-your-immune-system-after-contracting-covid-19

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the entire of 2020, COVID-19 has been a significant part of your year.

COVID-19 has affected everyone with travel bans, locking down countries, and introducing new protocols and mandates. But those who were impacted the most are those who contracted the virus.

For anyone who has already contracted COVID-19, there are still ways to protect your body. Boosting your immune system is the best way to help your body fight off the virus and get back to normal.

Here are some of the best ways to boost your immune system, so you can increase your chances of recovering quicker.

Why a Healthy Immune System Is so Important to Recovery

Your immune system is your defense system, protecting you against disease and infection.

B-cells and T-cells are a particularly important part of your immune system when it comes to COVID-19. B-cells are a type of lymphocyte, and they lead to the production of antibodies, which help the body identify specific molecules and remove or destroy
them. Once identified, T-cells (also a lymphocyte) kill the virally infected cells.

COVID-19 attacks your body by infecting healthy cells where it then multiplies and spreads to other cells in your body. A health reactive immune response through B- and T-cells is key to your body’s ability to fight COVID-19.

The importance of the immune system in fighting and destroying the COVID-19 virus is why those who are immunocompromised have to take such care. Because of their weakened immune systems and weakened ability to fight the virus, immunocompromised patients (i.e., those with cancer, HIV, and bone marrow transplants) may experience more severe COVID-19 symptoms and remain infectious
longer. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends immunocompromised patients take extra precautions to avoid being exposed to the virus (1).

Nutrition

Contracting COVID-19 can be frightening, but one easy way you can boost your immune system is to make some simple changes to your diet.

Eating a rich and varied diet is necessary for the healthy function of all cells, including your immune cells. Specific micronutrients including vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, selenium, protein, and zinc are especially important for immune function. A diet high in these nutrients can better prepare your immune system, while a diet lacking in these key nutrients can negatively affect immune function.

Foods that are high in the nutrients required for healthy immune function include:

  • Citrus Fruits: Citrus fruits, including oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, are high in vitamin C.
  • Yogurt: Yogurt is high in protein and is often fortified with vitamin D, which has demonstrated early evidence as potentially reducing the risk of influenza and COVID-19 infections (2).
  • Shellfish: Shellfish like lobsters, shrimp, and scallops are a particularly high source of zinc.
  • Whole Grains: Whole grains are good sources of selenium and can be found in whole-wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, and brown rice.
  • Leafy green vegetables: Leafy green vegetables including kale, spinach, and collard greens are high in iron and vitamin C.


Hydration


Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your immune system. Without sufficient levels of water, your body and cells don’t function properly. Water is necessary for immune system functions like lymphatic training, nutrient transport, and immune cell survival.

Some good tips for healthy hydration include:

  • Drink consistently throughout the day. If you wait until you’re thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated.
  • Eat water-heavy fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumbers, and grapes.
  • Ensure your water is sanitary (i.e., don’t share water bottles or use drinking fountains, as this could increase the exposure to COVID-19 and other pathogens).

Sleep

A good night’s sleep is crucial to immune function and your ability to fight off viral infections like COVID-19.

T-cells are critical to your immune system and your body’s ability to destroy virally infected cells, and sleep plays an important role in the activation of T-cells.

A 2019 study investigated the effects of sleep on T-cells, having study participants either stay awake or sleep all night. The study found that the participants who slept had higher levels of T-cell integrin activation than participants who were kept awake (3).

This study shows that proper T-cell functioning and the immune system’s ability to destroy viral cells may be linked to sleep cycles.

Hygiene and Social Distancing

One of the most important things you can do for your immune system after contracting COVID-19 is to follow proper hygiene and social distancing practices.

This will not only protect other people from contracting COVID-19 from you but will also protect you from other pathogens that could further strain your immune system and damage your health.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that you isolate for ten days after symptom onset plus at least three days without symptoms. Asymptomatic patients should isolate for ten days after their positive test, and your physician will advise you on isolation management (4).

Evidence around the possibility of reinfection is still developing, so best practices should be undertaken to avoid the virus. The WHO also recommends:

  • Wash your hands regularly using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Maintain at least a three-foot distance between yourself and others.
  • Avoid crowded places.
  • Wear a mask when around others or in public.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent virus transfer into your body.
  • Stay at home and self-isolate for even minor symptoms.
  • Seek medical attention if you exhibit any symptoms or believe you have been exposed to COVID-19 (5).

The Bottom Line

COVID-19 is a very serious viral infection and medical advice should be your first and most trusted place to start when looking to protect yourself and others. If you have contracted COVID-19, there are some simple things you can do to ensure your immune system has what it needs to function properly and give yourself the best chance of fighting off the virus.

However, it’s important to realize that these tips should not be a replacement for medication or physician treatment, and you should seek and follow the advice of your doctor if you have contracted the virus.

Leave a Reply