A Taiwanese psychiatrist has emphasized the importance of boosting the immune system in infection prevention in a research report recently published by Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the official journal of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society (PNIRS).
Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital psychiatrist Su Kuan-pin (蘇冠賓) said in his report that even though COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease, its mortality rates are low. In addition to wearing face masks and washing hands frequently, he suggested that boosting immunity is fundamental to individuals’ defense against the disease, CNA reported. His research finds that a regular life style and good psychological adjustment can enhance immunity.
The research report points out that people who have the most immunity to the virus have the common characteristics of exercising regularly, living a regular life, having sufficient sleep, having a balanced diet, maintaining good interpersonal relationships, and a social life.
Su added that immunity and mental health are closely related. He noted that the pandemic is not as fatal as most people have imagined and that what is really scary is the fear and feeling of helplessness people have towards the unknown. He recommended that people learn to manage their negative thinking and alleviate their mental burdens by limiting their intake of related information to under 30 minutes a day.
Source：Taiwan News
