According to Dr. Maya Saleh of McGill University, estrogen confers an immunological advantage to women, and when it comes to fighting off infection and illness, it is men who are the weaker of the sexes. However, there are measures that you can take as a man to bolster your immunity. By making prudent choices in your lifestyle and consuming a nutrient-rich and balanced diet, you can reinforce your immune system and help it function to its optimum capacity.
Step 1
Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can compromise the integrity of the immune system. Regulate your weight by controlling your calorie intake so that it matches your requirements. As a man, you need around 2,500 calories a day.
Step 2
Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables. Eating more fruit and vegetables will increase your intake of vitamin C, bioflavonoids and carotenoids. These nutrients can help lower your risk of heart disease and are important in maintaining a healthy immune system. Consume at least five or six servings of fruit and vegetables a day, and include blackcurrants, lemon, broccoli, peppers, oranges, apricots and carrots.
Step 3
Eat more good fats. Omega-3 fatty acids, a group of essential fatty acids, increase the activity of white blood cells and help mediate your body's response to infection. Increase the amount of these fats in your diet by eating flax seeds and oily fish, such as mackerel, tuna and salmon.
Step 4
Eat a nutritious meal after working out. Intensive exercise can weaken the immune system. Eating a meal containing carbohydrate and protein post-workout can help your immune system to recover and offset the negative effects of exercise.
Step 5
Use effective supplements. While studies to confirm the claims of supplements are typically scarce, there are a few supplements that are backed by scientific research. Researchers at the Seekers Center for Alternative Medicine suggest in the January 2011 issue of "Canadian Family Physician" that vitamin C, echinacea purpurea and zinc lozenges can help you fight the common cold. There is also evidence from other studies that vitamin E may decrease your risk of a heart attack.
Tips and Warnings
- Exercise regularly. The November 2010 issue of the "Proceeding of the Nutrition Society" says that, in contrast to the negative effects of intensive exercise, moderate exercise improves the function of the immune system. Follow your workouts with a whey protein supplement. In addition to being a convenient source of quality protein, whey contains a number of biological components with immune-enhancing properties Cook with garlic. Eating garlic improves antibody production and can help raise your white blood cell count.
References
- BBC News: Women Fight Off Disease Better
- AskDrSears.com: Feeding Your Immune System
- "The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society"; Diet, Exercise and Gut Mucosal Immunity; R. Valdez-Ramos, et al.; November 2011
- "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition"; Effects of Ingesting Protein with Various Forms of Carbohydrate Following Resistance-Exercise on Substrate Availability and Markers of Anabolism, Catabolism, and Immunity; R.B. Kreider, et al.; November 2007
- "Canadian Family Physician"; Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of the Common Cold; R. Nahas; January 2011
- "Introduction to Nutrition and Metabolism"; David A. Bender; 1999
