Health issues do not come at a light cost for Americans. According to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association data, American households used to spend $338 before the pandemic on over-the-counter medicines. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we can expect costs to have increased as households are less likely to ignore flu and cold symptoms — these are very similar to the pandemic symptoms.
If you add prescribed treatments and medications, it’s easy to see that the health budget is at risk of getting out of hand. Unfortunately, households can’t afford to ignore their health issues. However, they can take preventive measures to keep their costs under control. Even with good health insurance, you can’t avoid medical invoices!
Get your vaccines
The quickest and easiest way to reduce the risks of health complications is by keeping up to date with essential vaccines. Currently, almost one-third of the American population has refused the COVID-19 vaccine. What they don’t realize is that the virus is still around. Being vaccinated could prevent unnecessary complications, such as prolonged stay in hospital. Other essential vaccines that must be on your list include:
- Rubella
- Shingles
- Measles
- HPV
- Hepatitis A & B
- Chickenpox
- Polio
- Pneumococcal
- Etc.
Make time for sleep
Long days and short nights pout your immune system through a lot of pressure. While you may think that a cup of coffee can solve the problem, in reality, it can make it worse. Getting sufficient sleep is crucial for your health. When you sleep, your body can restore and regulate the immune system by releasing cytokines. Cytokines come into action when you are under stress or when your body must defend itself from a pathogen. Lack of sleep reduces the amount of cytokines and, therefore, your ability to protect yourself in the event of an infection.
Additionally, good sleep also boosts the T helper cells’ efficiency. T helper cells activate to fight bacteria, viruses, and unrecognized antigens. When you are sleep-deprived, the T helper cells’ action gets interrupted.
Protect your mental health
Social, neurocognitive, and behavioral factors can influence the processes of the immune system. Indeed, individuals under high stress or who experience depressive disorders are more likely to struggle with an imbalanced and weak immune system. Major mental health challenges and long-term disorders can significantly alter the functions and capabilities of your immune system, putting you at higher risk of heart disease, frequent infections, and autoimmune issues.
Make sure you’ve got the basics right
Ultimately, there is no miracle formula. You are responsible for caring for your body, and therefore, the nutrients you consume will also influence your immune response. Junk food, for instance, lacks nutritional value, which means your body doesn’t receive the essential mineral and nutrients it needs to maintain the immune system.
Additionally, hydration also plays a huge role in the body. The human body contains approximately 70% water. If you don’t drink enough, you can’t replenish the water integral to biochemical reactions inside the body. Therefore, the body can’t perform some functions adequately.
Finally, physical activity is instrumental in maintaining healthy oxygenation levels within your body and bringing the nutrients where there are needed.
Keeping your health costs low is no impossible task. On the contrary, it’s all about giving your body what it needs to defend itself from infections and harm. Protecting your immune system is inexpensive, yet it can make a huge difference to your health budget!