Health special: Be the immunity superhero

Do you drink enough waterIf you are constantly parched or pass yellow urine your body might not be as hydrated as you think it is Charmaine DrsquoSouza naturopath and nutritionist author of Kitchen Clinic says ldquoHydrate with plenty of water so that toxins can be flushed out of the system Tea coffee aerated beverages are not to be accounted for while adding up the dayrsquos water intake Add lemon or lime or orange slices to enhance the vitamin C content The best way to know that your body is properly hydrated is to check the colour of your urine It should be crystal clear or pale yellowrdquoHas your wound healedDelay in wound healing is never a good sign Not only is your body low on nutrients but that exposed part under the skin is a major telltale sign of a weak immune system Dr Anil Ballani consultant physician at Hinduja and Lilavati hospital shares that recurrent infections are never a good sign and should be remedied immediatelyGot a dry noseThis is a silent sign that you need to watch out for Breathing in if you donrsquot feel the requisite mucus in the nasal passage start worrying DrsquoSouza informs ldquoMucus traps germs and viruses and removes them from the body each time we sneeze or blow our nose A hydrated nose is a good defense against coldsrdquo To fix a dry one she suggests ldquoregularly irrigate your nasal passages with a squeeze bottle of saline solution Use a humidifier in the room to prevent a dry noserdquoIs that a casual smokedrinkThat stub of nicotine might feel cool between your fingers but that fag is not only going to cause cancer but can make you more susceptible to ailments like pneumonia influenza lung infections and wheezing Consumption of alcohol also affects your immune system And if alcoholic cirrhosis hepatitis and liver failure are contracted the immune system turns on the bodyrsquos own tissuesAre you in the dark about insomniaIf you havenrsquot been getting the mandatory seven to eight hours of sleep as well as mental rest your body might be bearing the wearandtear more harshly than you think feels Dr Ballani As per DrsquoSouza ldquoInsomnia and dark circles under the eyes can be signs of depressed immune functionrdquoAre you coldsensitiveIf you are prone to frequent coughs and colds have a sore throat you might need to pay closer attention to your health Especially so if you have special sensitivity towards low temperature or canrsquot bear cold climate then those white blood cells WBC in your body arenrsquot working hard enoughSweet tooth is itDoughnuts cupcakes or mithai can impair your WBCs from performing their function of killing the bacteria for more than six hours after the consumption of a sugary snack DrsquoSouza suggests that you eat a portion of fresh fruit or a couple of dates or raisins or figs which will cater to the cravings and provide minerals like ironAre you carrying extra weightExcess weight is not only weighing you down but is affecting the immune system too ldquoIt can be the reason for hormonal imbalances like polycystic ovarian disease PCOD and also of inflammation This in turn impairs the immune systemrsquos ability to fight different types of infectionsrdquo says DrsquoSouza Lose that weight to liberate your heart brain liver gall bladder and spleen from excess baggageAre you a stressed outBe it appraisal or examinations or even heartbreak such longterm stress conditions weaken your immune systemrsquos strength and ability to fight disease DrsquoSouza offers ldquoReduce stress levels with yoga meditation jazz ballet or whatever else helps you stay calm and stressfreerdquo She also prescribes daily exercise mdash aerobic or cardiac type of activity as it helps in the circulation of blood and nutrients and helps flush toxins out of the body through sweat and urine and bowel movements Daily workouts also increase body temperature to a healthier level around 973deg Farenheit