A healthy approach to upping your immunity
WE’RE all conscious of doing what we can to boost our immune systems at this time of year, to help fight off colds and flu. And ever since the outbreak of Covid-19 it’s been pushed even more centre stage, as we knows it’s important to be as healthy as possible.
So what can we do to help ourselves? We hear stuff all the time about antioxidants, superfoods, immuno-boosters and the like, but what actually works?
Emergency medicine doctor Ronx Ikharia is delving into the latest science to find out. Immune system strength is measured in terms of our white blood cells, which fend off bacteria, viruses and parasites.
There are the frontline defenders, which fight with speed and aggression, and then there’s specialist immune cells like lymphocytes, which can be more specific and effective.
Dr Ronx kicks off by looking at things that could weaken our systems, like the demon drink. So she volunteers to get trollied, and see what effect it has.
Nice work if you can get it, you might think, although as
Ronx is practically tee-total it’s not as much fun as it sounds, and unsurprisingly does lower her levels.
She looks into the supplement markets – Brits spend £1bn a year on these, mostly with the aim of boosting our immunity – and what she discovers is pretty shocking.
Together with immunologist Professor Sheena Cruickshank she recruits six volunteers to give them an immunity makeover over the course of six weeks and see what effect simple lifestyle changes could have.