Your body is constantly being invaded by bacteria and viruses, which are enemies that you cannot see and so it can be very difficult to dodge them. Fortunately, there is something within you that springs into action right away at the first sign of an invasion — it’s your immune system.

Thanks to your immune system, you don’t have to end up ill each time that disease- or infection-causing microbes enter your body because it deals with it them before they have the opportunity to cause problems.

Unfortunately, it isn’t all the time that your immunity is able to fight off invading bacteria and viruses, especially if there are simply lots and lots of them everywhere, such as during the cold or flu season. Because of this, it’s not unlikely for you to wind up under the weather once in a while.

If you often find yourself ill most of the time, it’s possible that your immune system is not in an excellent shape to be able to safeguard your body from those invading microbes. There are many things that can weaken a person’s immunity, and some of those you may be actually guilty of doing habitually!

Continue reading if you want to keep your immunity strong. Steer clear of the following habits that many of us are fond of doing and you can say bye-bye to frequently getting ill:

Smoking

We all know that smoking is bad for the lungs. Not too many people know that it can also weaken a person’s immunity. Doctors say that thousands of toxic chemicals given off by a cigarette stick can impair the functioning of the immune cells or alter their count. It’s for this reason why the lungs of a smoker are always in danger.

Too Much Alcohol

Just like smoking, excessive intake of alcohol can reduce the population of the body’s immune cells. If you want to keep your immune system in a stellar condition, there is really no need to completely turn your back on drinking — stick to one drink per day if you’re a woman, and up to two drinks per day if you’re a man.

Lack of Sleep

Even your immune system needs a break from time to time in order for it to stay functioning optimally, and it is while you are in dreamland when your immunity obtains its much-needed rest and repair. Naturally, it’s very much likely for your immune system to become weak if you are constantly depriving yourself of a good night’s sleep.

Stress

Wondering why there are simply lots and lots of problems that can happen when you are constantly stressed? Well, that’s because one of the ill effects of chronic stress is a weakened immunity. And with your body’s very own defense in a terrible shape, disease- and infection-causing microbes are free to do their thing.

Inadequate/Too Much Exercise

Exercise is something that you should have enough of on a regular basis. The operative word is “enough” — too little and too much exercise can wreak havoc to your immune system. So what you need to remember is always push yourself to work out, but don’t push yourself too hard because that’s also a bad idea.

Poor Hygiene

It’s also a good idea to maintain good personal hygiene if you want your immunity to stay in A1 shape. Otherwise, you will only entice more bacteria and viruses to invade your body, which is something that can leave your immune system overworked. So if you want to stay healthy, stay neat and clean!

Don’t forget to share this article on your various social media sites to let everybody in your network know some of the habits — many of which they may be guilty of — that can weaken the immune system.