The Importance of Your Immune System During Flu Season
Autumn has officially landed in the northern hemisphere, and along with it, is the beginning of flu season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu season begins at the start of fall and it lasts all throughout winter. On average, five to 20 percent of the U.S. population get the flu every year, according to WebMD. However, this year is different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where the concern for contracting the flu is much higher as it exhibits some of the same symptoms as COVID-19.
Ontario has recently announced the largest flu immunization campaign in the province’s history. Ontarians are being urged to take the flu shot in the hopes of limiting the number of infections, and reducing the likelihood of overwhelming the healthcare system. However, there are still growing concerns due to a recent study indicating that individuals can have both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time, as reported by CTV.
While the implications of COVID-19 can vary depending on the person, its exponential growth around the world has been a major concern, particularly with the potential risk of a second wave. According to CBC, Ontario recently announced the largest number of COVID-19 infections in a single day since the beginning of the outbreak in the province.
Since the strain of flu always changes every year according to the CDC, the added worry of COVID-19 has many individuals more concerned about their own health. This is where the importance of your immune system kicks in, as it can play a major role in your chances of getting sick.
What is Your Immune System?
Perhaps you may have already heard of doctors explaining the importance of your immune system countless times, but do you know how it works to protect your body from diseases and infections? Before we dive into the wonders of the immune system, it is important to define what it is. The immune system is made up of different organs, cells and proteins that work together to protect your body from bacteria, viruses and toxins.
The immune system has two main components, the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is the one in which you inherited from birth, and it is the natural way your body reacts when an invader is present in your body. Your adaptive immune system produces antibodies that protect your body from a specific invader. The adaptive immune system works alongside your innate immune system, but the adaptive immune system can only be formed and strengthened through immunization and other healthy practices.
One of the key ways to prevent your likelihood of getting the flu would be to boost your immune system, according to WebMD. With COVID-19 in the equation, it is important to note that studies are still being conducted to determine if your immune system can play a role in preventing infection. However, the strain of flu will always change every year, so it may be in your best interest to look into boosting your immune system to prevent further sicknesses in the future.
How Well Street’s Online Seminar For Immune Health Can Help
How often do you get your flu shot every year? According to the Government of Canada, the vaccine intake from the last three years has slowly increased. While getting a flu shot is important in boosting your immune system for a particular strain of flu, you need to be mindful that there are other risks that your body may encounter that your immune system may not be ready for. Your immune system plays an important role in your body, and while the flu may be one of your biggest concerns for this time of the year, strengthening your immune system is always a good idea to protect your overall health.
Here at Well Street, we offer a specialized online seminar titled “Immune Warrior: Building a Strong Defense” which explores the various ways you can boost your immune system through healthy practices. This seminar will focus on keeping your immune system through to prevent and protect you from harm. Our seminar will share you tips on the following:
1) Strengthen Your Immune System While You’re Healthy
It is important to remember that while infections may be inevitable, focusing on preventative measures is an important factor to reduce your likelihood of getting sick. While you may not be thinking of when you might get sick again while being healthy, it is a good practice to plan ahead and boost your immune system, especially during the fall/winter months when you may be surrounded with others who are sick.
2) Boost Your Immune System When You’re Sick
So you may have tried to prevent yourself from getting sick, but as stated before, it is inevitable sometimes, so your best approach would be to boost your immune system. We will share with you tips and advice that you can take to strengthen your body’s defense for future infections. By doing this, you may likely reduce the occurrences of being sick in the future.
Additionally, our friends at Pascoe offer a suite of natural immune boosting products. One of which is called “Gripps” which is homeopathic remedy made with eucalyptus, to help relieve symptoms associated with the common cold and flu, such as sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever and muscle aches
3) Speed Healing
Often, depending on if you have the flu or the common cold, your recovery time may always vary depending on your symptoms. According to a case study from the University of Melbourne, it was found that having a robust immune system resulted in a faster recovery for individuals who were infected with COVID-19. Having a strong immune system can ward off infections, and thus result in a better and faster recovery.
4) Inflammation Reduction
Reducing inflammation is important in the maintenance of good health. While it is common for your body to experience inflammation while fighting off entities that harm your body, you could also experience chronic inflammation which is harmful for your body. Chronic inflammation can result in damaging your healthy cells, issues and organs which could potentially lead to more severe diseases.
While this is just a general overview of what this seminar will entail, if you would like to learn more about this seminar, and the exact content that will be explored, please contact us to set up an appointment.
About Well Street
At Well Street, we are founded on the principles of introducing healthy practices to the workplace, which encompasses both mental and physical health. Comprised of medical professionals who have a background in naturopathy, we aim to help organizations foster a healthy corporate environment in order to boost productivity and morale.
If you would like to learn more about how our team can help your company, consider contacting us to find out more. We are happy to provide you with guidelines and approaches to support the wellbeing of your team members through virtual seminars.
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