At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly became one of its targets. In many countries, the major casualties were senior-aged people. The elderly population is still under threat from any new emerging variants, and therefore, having a strong immune system helps to reduce this and similar threats.
Aging Effects on the Immune System
The immune system is the body’s first line of defense against infections and diseases. It acts as a guard, ensuring that foreign bodies are kept out of the bloodstream and the rest of the body.
Our immune system consists of innate and adaptive immune systems. When a virus, regardless of its specific kind, enters the body, the innate immune system immediately goes into action to try and stop its spread.
The adaptive immune system protects the body by attacking only specific kinds of viruses. When the immune system encounters a disease for the first time, it usually takes a while for the adaptive immune system to adapt to this new virus. However, the adaptive immune system ‘saves’ the virus make-up in its memory, making it easier and quicker to respond once it fights the same virus again.
As we get older, our immune system tends to weaken. The innate immune system becomes less and less effective in catching viruses. At the same time, the adaptive immune system takes a longer time to respond to new viruses. With virus variants continuously being formed, our aging body becomes slower at recognizing these viruses and therefore more susceptible to infections.
Our body also takes more time to recover from diseases as we have fewer immune cells fighting for us. Autoimmune disorders, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body tissues, may also develop as we age.
Ways to Strengthen Immunity, for Both Young & Old
While the majority of the elderly population suffers from the typical effects of aging, including a weakened immune system, super-agers seem to be on a different playing field. Seniors who belong to this elite group defy societal standards commonly associated with aging.
Here’s what you can do, regardless of your age, to help strengthen your immune system:
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating healthy foods is a proven way to stay healthy and keep your immune system working as it should. Foods rich in vitamin C, such as various fruits and green leafy vegetables, are great for boosting your natural defense against viruses. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant that aids in fighting free radicals while fortifying the immune system.
Exercising Regularly
Exercising is another way to increase immunity against viruses. When we exercise, our bodies flush out bacteria from the lungs and airways, lowering the chances of catching the flu, colds, or other infections. Exercising also activates the antibodies found in our white blood cells, the body’s immune system cells, making it easier and faster for the body to respond to viruses.
Minimizing Stress
One of the damaging effects brought on by stress is a weak immune system. When we are stressed, our body responds by strengthening certain functions that will help us to fight or flee from the stressor, such as the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
At the same time, it minimizes the use of other functions, such as the immune system that are less important to fight or flight situations. This means that the immune system only works at its best when the body is in a relaxed state. Therefore, if we are constantly under stress, the immune system weakens.
Living a stress-free life is not realistic. However, we can find ways to minimize its effects and increase the periods between stress-inducing events. Self-care practices and getting quality sleep effectively lower the impact of stress on the body.
Aging does not have to result in a weak body – this is something we have learned from the super-agers. Keeping your immune system strong, especially as you age, is essential to enjoying a long and healthy life.
