Though the cold and flu season has reared its ugly head once again, a diet rich in immunity boosting foods can help ward off pesky viruses. Combined with a daily dose of exercise and proper hygiene, fruits, vegetables and antioxidant-laden foods can help give your body a fighting chance against infection and disease.
Your Immune System
Your immune system is your body's primary defense against harmful pathogens that you encounter on a daily basis. Maintaining a healthy immune system requires that you stay active, and consume foods that help strengthen your body's ability to identify and attack organisms that may cause disease. Many different vitamins and minerals play vital roles in building a healthy immune system. A number of foods can help strengthen your immune system while still appealing to your palate.
Antioxidant Rich Foods
Antioxidants protect your body's immune cells and tissues from becoming damaged by destroying free radicals. Both your body and the environment produce free radicals which are capable of speeding the progression of cancer and other diseases. Antioxidant rich foods are those high in lutein, lycopene, selenium, beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and E. Many fruits and vegetables like berries, pomegranates, kale and Brussels sprouts have a complex mixture of antioxidants to help bolster your body's immune response.
Vitamins A, C and E
Vitamin A, found in foods such as liver, raw carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach, plays an essential role in the maintenance of mucous membranes which are designed to prevent pathogens from entering the body. Vitamin C aids in the production of proteins that combat viruses. Guava, strawberries and citrus fruits have high vitamin C contents. Vitamin E promotes the production of cells that make antibodies and kill bacteria. Sunflower oil, safflower oil, almonds and hazelnuts are all high in vitamin E.
B Vitamins
According to the National Institutes of Health, Vitamin B6 is necessary for the production and maintenance of white blood cells, which fight infections and foreign agents. Fortified cereals, potatoes, bananas and poultry are excellent sources of Vitamin B6.
Garlic
Garlic contains several powerful immunity boosters. Allicin, one of its major sulfide components, stimulates the immune system and kills bacteria and parasites. Garlic is also rich in oxidants vitamins A and C and selenium. To attain the most health benefits from garlic, eat it raw or lightly cooked in olive oil.
A Low Calorie Immunity Boost
A low-calorie diet may also significantly enhance your immune response. The Agricultural Research Service found that spending six months on a low-calorie diet may improve the function of T cells, a type white blood cell that is tailored to specific pathogens.
References
- National Institues of Health: Antioxidants
- National Institutes of Health: Dietary Supplement Fact Shee: Vitamin B6
- "Journal of Dairy Science": Physiological Role of Antioxidants in the Immune System
- USDA: Less is More, When Restraining Calories Boosts Immunity
- MedTerms.com: Definition of T cell
- Journal of Internal Immunology: Allicin stimulates lymphocytes and elicits an antitumor effect: a possible role of p21ra
