Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices
As well as eating well and taking part in regular exercise, the lifestyle choices we make can also have an impact on our immune system. Two of the biggest things we can consider is how much alcohol we drink and whether or not we smoke.
The recommendations on smoking are simple – don’t do it. Smoking triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which as we learned above, can lead to inflammation, disease and a weakened immune system. Having a cigarette also leads to a chronic inflammatory response in the lungs which over the years will build up, leading to tissue destruction and the release of further inflammatory molecules that dampen immunity.
Drinking a safe level of alcohol isn’t as clear cut. Some argue that there is no safe level of alcohol, whilst others argue there is. The NHS guidelines on alcohol state that we should avoid drinking more than 14 units a week and to have at least four alcohol free days a week.
Researchers have found that drinking excessively can “blunt” the activity of white blood cells called monocytes, that play an important role in immunity. Alcohol reduces the amount of interferon, a chemical that fights viruses, that the monocytes can produce. So keep drinking to a minimum and take steps to quit smoking if you do smoke.
