Self-test: Am I supporting my immune system properly?

What weakens my immune system? Find out!

Our immune system works tirelessly for us, day and night, every second. It can sometimes show weakness, whether due to too much stress, gum inflammation, obesity, or improper nutrition - our lifestyle largely determines the state of our immune system. Take the test to find out how your defenses are doing and learn where you can treat your immune system more gently.

This is how the test works: To get your immune system back on track in time, go through these eight lifestyle factors step by step. This way, you will find out where "building work" can be useful.

The test: This is how your immune system is doing

1. Sleep

Do you sleep seven to eight hours daily and wake up refreshed regularly? Perfect for the function of our defense cells! While you sleep, our defense is in full swing and produces new immune cells. In contrast, just three hours of sleep deprivation can impair the immune system. This has consequences: Those who sleep too little or poorly were found to be three times more susceptible to colds in studies.

Eat right, sleep better - read You hereHow your diet affects your sleep

2. Mucous membranes

Do you drink enough water throughout the day and spend a lot of time outdoors? Do you also eat plenty of orange, yellow, and green vegetables and fruits? Great, then you are making it difficult for intruders to get past this strong line of defense! Our mucous membranes (for example in the nose, throat, and mouth) are also part of our defense. They are the first point of contact with intruders and therefore an important protective shield. In order for them to work optimally and repel intruders, they must be kept moist at all times. They also receive support from Vitamin A, as the vitamin is important for their intact function. As a precursor in the form of the plant substance beta-carotene, it is found, for example, in carrots, pumpkin, mango, or spinach.

3. Nutrition

Pay attention to a diet rich in fresh products, whole grains, legumes, nuts, as well as five portions of vegetables and fruits daily - while avoiding sugary foods, excessive meat, and processed foods. Stick to it or start doing it! This is an ideal way to supply your immune system with the micronutrients it needs. However, just eating your favorite foods may not be enough. Variety is important to enjoy all ten immune-supporting micronutrients. Are you consuming the recommended 25 different plant-based foods per week? Avoiding salty foods is also optimal. Recent studies have shown that our immune cells do not appreciate too much salt in the diet. Most of the salt we consume today comes from processed foods - it is important to minimize these as much as possible.

You want to eat healthier, but you don't know where to start? Here the most important 25 nutrition questions and all answers.

4. Gum inflammations

No cavities are found in your mouth, the gums are pink and healthy? Oral health is also related to our immune system. Diseased teeth and gums can burden the immune system unnoticed for a long time. Untreated, harmful bacteria from the oral cavity can spread through our bloodstream to other parts of the body. Regular check-ups can prevent this. Oil pulling in the morning can also be helpful.

Here We will show you how it works: Small effort, big impact - how oil pulling changes our body.

5. Weight

Is your weight in the ideal range? Wonderful, because too many pounds are a real immune killer. Fat deposits are an accelerator for inflammatory processes in the body, which strain the immune system so much that it is ultimately overloaded. A healthy diet with plenty of antioxidant-rich vegetables, fruits, spices, and herbs helps to calm the inflammation - and in the long run also to reduce excess weight.

Intermittent Fasting: Healthy Weight Loss Without Diet

6. Movement

Do you enjoy going for walks, cycling to work or to the store, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator? In addition, do you do light endurance or strength training two to three times a week? That's great! Regular physical activity is an important factor in keeping your immune system healthy, according to studies. However, to benefit your immune system, the right amount is crucial. Just as unfavorable as no physical activity is too high intensity during training, which can even decrease the number of our immune cells.

7. Intestine

They eat little white flour and sugar, but mainly plant-based and high in fiber? Perfect! This way, your immune cells will find a good training ground in the form of a diverse, healthy microbiome. Around 70 percent of our immune cells are located in the gut, and our gut bacteria therefore play an important role in our defense. What is good for them is also beneficial for our immune system.

8. Stress Factor

They go through the day with ease and stress does not affect them? Great! Stress weakens our defenses and makes us more vulnerable. And as if that weren't enough: when we are under constant stress, our need for micronutrients also increases. However, especially during those times, we often eat less healthy - far from optimal for our defenses. Finding relaxation is not easy, but with the help of nature, it becomes easier: studies show that just a few minutes in green surroundings are enough to lower our stress levels and activate our immune cells at the same time.