5 Tips for Immunity and Digestive Health in Spring
- 22 Mar, 2025
- Written by Team Dr Lal PathLabs
Medically Approved by Dr. Seema
Table of Contents
Spring season can pose many challenges for both the digestive and immune systems as changing weather conditions and frequent temperature variations place additional stress on the body. This is why it becomes essential to prioritise the overall health of the body and take proactive steps to combat these challenges.
In this article, we discuss some tips for immunity and digestive health, from having good foods for a strong immune system to maintaining proper hydration and an active lifestyle.
- Eat the Right Foods
Eating foods rich in fibre prevents constipation and leads to healthy digestion. Having fermented foods, prebiotic foods, healthy fats, and hydrating foods also enhance gut health and overall digestion. Foods with vitamins E and C, antioxidants, zinc, and beta-carotene can greatly boost immunity.
The tables below mention some of the best foods for good immune system and digestive health.
| Fibre rich | Fermented | Prebiotic | Fats | Hydrating |
| Whole grains | Kimchi | Banana | Avocado | Strawberries |
| Green Vegetables | Yoghurt | Onion | Nuts | Celery |
| Legumes | Kefir | Garlic | Seeds | Watermelon |
| Fruits | Sauerkraut | Asparagus | Olive oil | Cucumber |
| Vitamin B | Vitamin C | Antioxidants | Zinc | Beta-carotene |
| Nuts | Oranges | Green-tea | Shellfish | Carrot |
| Seeds | Grapes | Berries | Oyster | Spinach |
| Avocado | Kiwi | Spinach | Beans | Sweet-potato |
| Spinach | Broccoli | tomatoes | Chicken | Apricots |
- Stay Hydrated
Water plays an essential role in proper functioning of the digestive system. It acts as a lubricant and ensures smooth passage of food through the intestinal walls. Water also supports the balance of gut microbiome by enabling intestinal secretions and waste removal.
Along with good foods for the immune system, taking plenty of water also boosts immunity as it takes essential nutrients to all parts of the body and removes waste products. This waste can become toxic over time and can weaken the immune system.
As temperature increases in spring, the body begins to lose more water with sweating, which can lead to frequent dehydration. This highlights the need to increase the intake of water in spring.
- Manage Stress
When the body activates stress response, the brain shuts down digestion by slowing the contractions of the digestive muscles and reducing secretions that help digestion. If this response is consistent, it can impact the digestive system by causing problems like acid reflux, constipation, bloating, diarrhoea, heartburn, indigestion, and in severe cases, conditions like ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome or gastritis.
Stress causes the body to secrete cortisol, a stress hormone, which can lead to inflammation of the immune system. Persistent levels of inflammation can weaken the immune system. Chronic stress also decreases the white blood cells, which help fight off infections such as bacteria and viruses.
In such cases, managing stress becomes crucial. Some effective ways to manage stress include doing meditation and yoga, practising breathing exercises, and taking time out from daily activities to relax the body and mind.
- Get Adequate Sleep
Lack of sleep can lead to inflammation of the gut lining and intestinal permeability, which allows harmful toxins to enter the digestive system. It can also lead to production of cortisol for a longer time. This, in turn, decreases the secretion of leptin, which suppresses appetite, and increases the production of ghrelin, which increases appetite. This hormone imbalance can cause many digestive discomforts like bloating and diarrhoea.
Sleep deprivation can also lead to a lot of digestive issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), microbiome disruption, and irritable bowel syndrome.
During sleep, the body produces cytokines that help in fighting infection and inflammation. Not getting quality sleep can affect the immune system’s ability to protect the body.
All of this emphasises the need to get quality sleep to maintain a healthy digestive system and immune system.
Read also about Digestive Disorders
- Exercise Regularly
Exercise improves circulation in the body, including the digestive tract. It helps tone the digestive muscles, which helps in expelling toxic waste efficiently. Exercise also keeps the metabolism healthy.
Physical exercise stimulates cellular immunity by increasing circulation of immune cells. It also raises body temperature which prevents the growth of bacteria inside the body.
Moreover, exercise leads to better quality of sleep and helps in reducing stress and depression, both of which impact the digestive and immune systems. Making moderate exercise a regular part of life can boost both immunity and digestive health.
Read also how immune system work
Spring arrives with a lot of challenges and to remain healthy, it is important to make some lifestyle changes. These changes include exercising regularly, drinking plenty of water, reducing stress, getting adequate sleep, and having the best foods for digestive health and great immunity.
If someone is experiencing any digestive issues, they must consult their healthcare provider and book a stomach health test with Dr Lal PathLabs for an accurate diagnosis.
FAQs
1. What are some foods good for the digestive system?
Some good digestive foods include kimchi, asparagus, cucumber, watermelon, onion, yoghurt, legumes, olive oil, and garlic.
2. What foods should be taken for a healthy immune system?
Some of the best foods for the immune system include spinach, avocado, nuts, seeds, tomatoes, green tea, berries, and shellfish.
