White blood cells are needed to help fight off disease and infection. Low white blood cell count is common when battling cancer or disease, and the result can leave you with a fever and chills, which might result in a trip to the emergency room. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help improve your white blood cell count. However, dietary changes can also help in improving your overall situation.
Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene enhances your white blood cells and may be able to prevent cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Beta-carotene also promotes a healthy respiratory tract, eyes and urinary tract. You can find the largest doses of beta-carotene in vegetables like carrots, spinach, squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Some orange- and yellow-colored fruits like cantaloupe, papaya and mango also contain beta-carotene.
Selenium
Selenium is found in brewer’s yeast, whole grains, garlic, sunflower seeds and fish. Selenium may be able to boost your immune system by creating new white blood cells, making it an important nutrient. However, your body requires very little to remain healthy--around 55 micrograms a day, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Selenium can also cause drug interactions, which might increase your risk of bleeding. For these reasons, it is important that you contact your doctor to discuss possible problems before considering selenium supplements.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is so important to your blood supply that a B6 deficiency can cause anemia. Vitamin B6 also helps regulate the amount of glucose in your body and aids in stimulating your metabolism. The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements suggests getting 1.3 milligrams of vitamin B6 a day. For a full day’s value, a single bowl of fortified cereal will do the trick. Other B6-rich foods include baked potatoes, bananas, chicken breast, pork loin and roast beef.
Vitamin C
Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces the number of harmful free radicals in your body. It improves the absorption of important nutrients like iron and interacts with vitamin E to create antibodies that help to keep you healthy. Most importantly for you, vitamin C can also stimulate the growth of white blood cells. For a full dose of daily vitamin C eat a guava fruit or drink a cup of cranberry juice. Other rich sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, citrus fruits, Brussels sprouts, strawberries and lettuce.
References
- Stanford Medicine: Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Selenium; Steven D. Ehrlich et al.
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B6
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Best Foods for Specific Vitamins; K Davis et al.
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A and Carotenoids
- MayoClinic.com; Low Blood Cell Counts: Side Effect of Cancer Treatment; September 2009
