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7 tips to boost immunity naturally
Viruses, colds and constant advice from all sides – sounds familiar, doesn’t it? A friend recommends a miracle remedy, doctors remind us to get plenty of rest and eat well, and we beekeepers also have something to say on the matter.
The truth is that a strong immune system doesn’t develop overnight or after just one cup of tea. It comes down to daily habits, rest, less stress and consistently looking after yourself. And nature has long since provided us with a number of excellent aids for this – from honey and propolis to bee bread, pollen and even chewy sweets containing bee products.
Over many years spent tending our beehives and interacting with people, we have tried out numerous natural ways to boost the body’s defences. That is why, in this article, we are sharing seven simple but important tips on how to boost your immunity naturally and help your body cope more easily with everyday challenges.
Why is it important to strengthen immunity?
Boosting the immune system naturally involves strengthening the body’s defences through good-quality sleep, physical activity, stress management, a balanced diet and bee products.
Immunity is our weapon. Bees have stings, but we only have our immunity. Our well-being, mood and health depend on how it reacts to our environment. When we are attacked by a bad virus or bacteria, our immunity starts to fight it off with a variety of weapons. Strengthening your immunity is important because the stronger your immunity is, the quicker and easier it is to fight off pathogens. Often even sooner than the first signs of illness. Meanwhile, passive immunity, devoid of the body’s resources, allows the disease to take hold, increasing the chance of complications.
How to boost immunity with natural means?
Boosting the immune system is sometimes referred to in folk terms as ‘hardening’ – it is one of the most popular folk remedies for strengthening the immune system, based on increasing the body’s resistance to disease. First of all, we would like to emphasise that immunity is not built up overnight – this requires cells to regenerate, various substances to be accumulated, the synthesis of essential proteins to take place, and other processes to occur. Therefore, no matter what methods you use to boost your immunity, you shouldn’t expect results within a few days. Boosting immunity is an ongoing process, so natural remedies for boosting immunity work best when taken regularly and combined with adequate rest and a balanced diet.
1. Physical activity
Active walking, jogging, exercising, working with weights – all physical activity improves the immune system. Researchers have found that sport helps protect against ageing by keeping the immune system active through a variety of mechanisms.
2. Quality sleep
Sleep is how our bodies recover. It takes a break from stress (less cortisol and adrenaline are produced) and at the same time, the immune system can better recover and strengthen. The same is true when we are ill – there is a reason why we want to sleep more when we are ill – sleep speeds up the recovery process. SIt is recommended that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep and follow a daily routine. This helps to reduce the multiple stresses that suppress the immune system and stimulate it to recover and function. So let’s start by strengthening immunity by establishing a clear work/rest/sleep routine.
3. Stress management
Stress and immunity are directly linked. The more stress, the less immunity. Stress hormones not only disrupt sleep, as described above, but also mobilise the whole body to fight a threat, so that it no longer has time to prepare itself to fight micro-organisms. Prolonged stress exhausts the body, which becomes incapable of fighting back. If you have ever been ill when you really wanted to take a break from everything, but didn’t allow yourself to do so, there is a good chance that the body simply couldn’t resist all the negative factors anymore, and gave up, forcing you to “rest” when you got sick. Let’s learn to control stressful situations, calm down and reduce anxiety: read books, watch films, listen to music, etc.
4. Dietary habits
Unhealthy food puts the body under a kind of stress. In addition, we don’t get all the nutrients we need. The immune system is like a house – if there are no bricks, there is no way to build it. That is why it is essential to take care of a complete diet. You must also have heard the saying that immunity is in our gut, and it is quite apt. A healthy and well-functioning gut not only provides us with nutrients and vitamins and minerals by digesting food well, but also breaks down many pathogens. Especially in the stomach. Thus, gastrointestinal health helps improve the formation and functioning of the immune system.
Boosting your immune system with bee products
The above are some of the key factors for maintaining a strong immune system. If we manage to do all of these, we can also incorporate immune-boosting supplements or products into our diet and lifestyle. Some of these are bee products, which have been used in our folk medicine for centuries and are still regarded as popular folk remedies for boosting immunity. Honey, propolis, bee bread, pollen and even honeycomb remain among the most popular folk remedies for boosting immunity to this day.
So, if you’re wondering how to boost your immunity naturally, here are a few tips.
5. Protecting the body’s “gates”
The nose, eyes and mouth are some of the main gateways for viruses to enter our bodies. If our skin is healthy, its stratum corneum provides reliable protection against pathogens. Mucosal mucous membranes are much more vulnerable. Both our mouths and noses have primary checkpoints and protection points – the hairs and tonsils – where bacteria or viruses are trapped. However, viruses, being very small, sometimes enter our body unnoticed. To stop them, we can use external protective measures – propolis oil, ointments, pitch spray. How to make them is described in the post “How to prepare bee pitch extract”.
Apply the oils to the nasal passages, lips or other mucous membranes 2–4 times a day. It is particularly important to do this before leaving the house. Propolis spray should also be applied to the throat 2–4 times a day, 1–2 sprays at a time. These ointments and sprays can be used up to 8–10 times when you feel a cold coming on or experience other symptoms of illness. The main active ingredient, propolis, has a pain-relieving effect, and, by acting directly, it also destroys many microorganisms. Therefore, sprays or oils should be used regularly, and you should avoid eating or drinking for at least 15 minutes after application. Propolis has long been regarded as one of the most popular natural remedies for boosting immunity during the colder months. You can read more about bee propolis in our post ‘What is propolis, what are its benefits for us and how to use it’.
6. Strengthen ourselves
With viruses rife, everyone is constantly talking about boosting the immune system, but a strong immune system is impossible without also strengthening its supporting systems – the digestive and nervous systems. To strengthen the body and nourish it with beneficial vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, it is important to choose products that are suitable for boosting immunity as part of your daily routine. The bee products best suited for this purpose are natural honey, pollen, bee bread and royal jelly.
Royal jelly should be taken before the symptoms of the disease are felt or after the acute phase has passed, and only by those who do not have high blood pressure. During the 14-day course, take 75 mg of royal jelly twice a day (before lunch) by slowly sucking it in your mouth. Then take a break.
Take 2–3 teaspoons of pollen and 1–2 teaspoons of bread once a day. Take in courses of 2–4 weeks, choosing one product. You can chew it slowly and let it dissolve in your mouth, or make a drink with warm water. A glass of warm water will help your body absorb all the beneficial nutrients more effectively. You can find out how to prepare it here: morning drink. Bee bread and pollen are often chosen as natural products to boost immunity due to their rich content of vitamins and minerals.
It is also recommended to eat 1-2 tablespoons of honey per day. Even more if you are sick. This can easily be done by replacing sugar with honey and by using honey with various health-giving spices, berries (especially lingonberries or cranberries), horseradish and even garlic.
7. Take care of ourselves always
The key to all the health-boosting, body-cleansing, immunity-boosting and all sorts of other remedies is systematic use. Whether you take bee products, vitamins from the pharmacy, herbal teas or lemon juice. Natural health products only work when taken over a long enough period of time. Therefore, it is recommended to use bee products in 2-4 week courses. Honey can be used continuously.
At this time of year, it is advisable to use bee products both externally and internally – combine propolis with bee bread or pollen, and don’t forget propolis sprays. They are a natural choice for boosting immunity and supporting our first line of defence.
That’s all the tips you need to strengthen your immunity naturally. All the advice on using bee products is based on information provided by the Apitherapy Association for those who want to stay healthy, youthful and happy with the help of bees. The consumption recommendations are aimed at people aged 15-75 who have already consumed bee products and are not allergic to them. If you have not tried bee products before, start using small amounts and monitor yourself. If you have a chronic illness, consult your doctor about the use of bee products.
Stay healthy and happy!
Our kitty products for your immunity:
In this article, we have drawn on the following sources:
- Besedovsky, L., Lange, T., & Haack, M. (2019). The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiological reviews, 99(3), 1325-1380. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00010.2018
- Nieman, D., & Wentz, L.M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8, 201 – 217.
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