Building Your Immune System While At Sea

The symptoms of COVID-19 differ from person to person. Some are asymptomatic and don’t get sick at all, while others feel the full set of symptoms such as fevers, coughs, loss of smell and taste, and breathing difficulties.

Those with chronic conditions and lower immune systems are often prone to more severe symptoms and even death. Therefore, a robust immune system is a must for this pandemic.

A strong immune system is essential for seafarers since there are many diseases you can get on the job. Aside from your basic training, make sure to learn these things so you can stay ready for life at sea.

Improve Your Diet

The first step in strengthening immunity is to improve your diet. There are certain food items out there that can help with that, such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, and fruits. Aside from that, make sure your diet is balanced and that you’re not deficient in any vitamins and minerals. Having a deficiency can cause you to be more susceptible to sickness.

Get enough sleep

Sleep has many benefits in boosting your immune system. Poor sleep habits can weaken your body in addition to fatigue and poor concentration. Make sure you have at least 7-8 hours of sleep before you seize the day.

Exercise

As work onboard a ship can be physically taxing, exercise is a must to keep a stronger body. Regular exercise helps you gain strength, preserve immunity, and maintain endurance so you can withstand the physical labor and other environmental factors for a long time. Find time on your schedule where you can exercise regularly. Spending as little as 30 minutes on a full-body workout, coupled with a proper diet, can make a difference.

Stock Up and Take Your Vitamins

Certain vitamins, Vitamin C in particular, are essential in improving your immune system. If you’re deficient in certain minerals, eating a balanced may not be enough. Stock up on safe and proven supplements before you go onboard. Getting isolated at sea for a long time is hard enough, but going home may even be more difficult because of COVID-19 restrictions. Supply your body with the right nutrients regularly with more than enough vitamins to last a long time.

Avoid Unhealthy Habits

Lastly, activities such as smoking and drinking alcohol can negatively affect your body’s response to viral diseases. While it’s understandable for seafarers de-stress, these habits are detrimental in the long run. Try to lessen these bad habits more often. Slowly ease yourself out of poor routine instead of going cold turkey to quit. Full stops can leave you with relapses that will have you going back to those habits immediately.

Remember, your immune system plays a crucial role in maintaining your health, and if it’s compromised, it can lead to unfortunate health incidents now and later in life. Always keep that in mind so you can take the right steps to keep it well-functioning and healthy. That way, you can do your duties as a seafarer without worries.