A strong immune system not just gives our body the ability to fight disease but also keeps us strong and energized. It is built by consciously cultivating good eating and exercising habits followed by adequate rest. In the times of the pandemic of the COVID19 (Coronavirus), it has become even more critical to have stronger immunity. Below are some steps you must certainly apply to your life to be healthy and have a reliable fighting mechanism within your body.

According to a study by Harvard researchers, there are eight ways to build yourself one.

The immune system helps the body keep itself safe from infection and disease. It fights everything from cold and flu viruses to fatal conditions such as cancer. Smoking compromises the immune system’s ability to fight against harmful germs and infections. So avoid smoking altogether.

Research supports that including specific vitamins, minerals and other foods in your diet boosts your immune system. Nine foods that you must add to your diet are almonds, turmeric, citrus fruits, garlic, papaya, green tea, yogurt, leafy vegetables and ginger. All these items and locally available, hence easy to source.

Exercise of any kind helps flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. It reduces your chance of getting a cold, flu, or any other illness. Rigorous physical activities cause changes in antibodies and white blood cells (WBC). WBCs are the immune system's cells that fight disease.

The cells in the immune system need to co-exist in balance for them to be able to maintain good health. Factors such as an excess weight caused by a bad diet and lack of exercise can mess with this balance. Excess fat can also leads to the creation of immune cells that can harm, rather than protect, our bodies. So keep fit and exercise daily and eat right and stay in the right weight range.

Alcohol changes the makeup of your gut microbiome. According to some studies, drinking alcohol also can damage the immune cells present in the intestines that serve as the first line of defence against bacteria and viruses. So if at all you need to drink it in moderation.

Sleep deprivation may decrease the production of infection-fighting antibodies and cells. So getting sufficient sleep is an absolute must to have a robust immune system.

Concerning the COVID-19 scenario, it is of utmost importance to follow these basic rules so that the virus doesn't enter your body in the first place. You can do that only by washing your hands and cooking meats and other foods thoroughly.

The immune system's ability to fight off antigens reduces when we are stressed. The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the power of the immune system. Therefore it is essential to minimize stress.

So keep yourself healthy during the COVID -19 pandemic by keeping your immunity strong. A thing to note, a strong immunity alone only acts as the first line of defence but isn't a sure shot precaution against protecting you against the coronavirus. Hence it is important practice caution by social isolation and regularly washing hands before touching your face.

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