It is likely that during the autumn-winter season we get colds, sore throats, sore necks and with all this, our immune system is a little weaker. Depending on how we have our defenses, it will be more or less difficult to overcome these situations and, although it is the most consistent, the fact of recovering quickly from a cold does not imply that your immune system is in good condition.
Did you know that there are more signs to know if your immune system is working optimally?
Throughout the year, and not only in cold weather, the body sends us signals. Many of them we have normalized today and even think that they are normal due to the lifestyle that most of us lead.
If we were more aware of them, we could act preventively and not get sick so often or, at least, recover quickly and effectively.
Here are 5 signs you should be aware of if you want to put an end to a weakened immune system:
- Being stressed daily: You may have noticed that after a major project or a strong emotional experience, you sometimes get sick. This happens because the body secretes cortisol (the stress hormone) and slows down the immune system to successfully cope with a particular situation. One-time stress will not be a problem, but continuous stress is going to have a totally different effect. Chronic stress makes you sick, as it continuously weakens the immune system, both innate and acquired, lowering the immune response as a whole; a fact that predisposes you to not effectively resolve low-grade inflammation, a cold or an injury.
- Frequent infections: Suffering constant infections can be a sign of having a weakened immune system. Unable to cope as it should with pathogens in the body, the immune system cannot respond adequately and cannot defend us in an emergency situation. As a result, we may suffer from infections on a regular basis or we may not be able to solve them and the situation becomes chronic. If we do not solve the root of the problem and resort to allopathic treatments, we will further accentuate the vicious circle of not feeling well.
- Tiredness and fatigue: If you constantly feel tired, no matter how much sleep you get, it may be a sign that your immune system is weakened. One of the reasons why this happens is that the body focuses its energies on solving some kind of problem, inflammation, pathogen or persistent injury and does not allow you to allocate enough energy for day-to-day tasks.
- Hair loss: the constant fight of the immune system against infections or, directly, a weakened immune system, can lead to hair loss as a consequence of a lack of minerals and vitamins, deficit in the manufacture of white blood cells, coenzymes and key cofactors for proper immune function. Hair, as well as nails and skin are a reflection of the state of health of our body and we must pay attention.
- Alterations in weight: If your weight is not adequate (if you are overweight, obese or underweight) it is possible that your immune system is affected. If you are overweight, an increase in fat cells can increase immune cells that secrete certain chemicals, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to chronic inflammation and affecting the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. In the opposite situation, if you are underweight with nutritional and micronutrient deficiencies (such as zinc, iron, magnesium, etc.), your immune system will likely be weaker and you will notice more fatigue, brittle muscles and bones. Neither extreme will be good for a well-functioning immune system.
To learn more about the immune system you can check out our blog “What we know about the immune system” and stay tuned for the following.
