What is the immune system in the body?
The immune system protects our body from outside invaders. These include germs such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins. The immune system is made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together.
Our immune system is essential for our day-to-day survival. Without an immune system, our bodies would be open to attack from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and more. Sometimes we sick more often. A weak immune system causes our body to break down more often. A strong immune system helps a person stay healthy by fighting off bacteria and viruses.
Which nutrients increase our immunity?
Examples of nutrients that have been identified as critical for the growth and function of immune cells include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, selenium, iron, and protein (including the amino acid glutamine).
“A healthy immune system depends on a balanced diet over time,” says Ngozi Ellom, a registered dietician with the UNTH Enugu. This means that you can’t just eat an orange or mango fruit or swallow a vitamin pill and expect one quick burst of vitamin C to prevent a cold and to boost your immune system.
With some exceptions, it’s best to get your vitamins and minerals from your food rather than in pill form.
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is necessary for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues. It’s involved in many body functions, including the formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the proper functioning of the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.
Fresh fruits and vegetables like the ones listed below are rich in vitamin C
Green (Spinach)
Orange
Bell peppers
Strawberries
Pawpaw
Tomatoes
2. Vitamin E
Like vitamin C, vitamin E can be a powerful antioxidant that helps your body fight off infection. Vitamin E is a nutrient that’s important to vision, reproduction, and the health of your blood, brain, and skin. To get your vitamin E, think high-fat plant foods such as:
Almonds
Peanuts/peanut butter
Sunflower seeds
Spinach and broccoli
Hazelnuts
3. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is key for good vision, a healthy immune system, and cell growth. There are two types of vitamin A: Retinoids — which come from animal products and Beta-carotene which comes from plants. Food sources that are rich in vitamin A include:
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Pumpkin
Liver and fish oils
Dark green leafy vegetables
4. Vitamin D
Known also as the sunshine vitamin, it’s one of the most important and powerful nutrients for supporting the immune system. The body produces vitamin D in response to sun exposure. Vitamin D has a range of benefits. It protects the teeth and bones and defends against diseases. Food sources include:
Salmon
Mackerel
Egg yolk
Sardines
Vitamin D is fortified with milk, orange juice, and cereals.
5. Iron
Iron, which helps your body carry oxygen to cells, plays a part in many of the immune system processes. The role of iron in immunity is necessary for immune cells proliferation and maturation, particularly lymphocytes, associated with the generation of a specific response to infection. Experimental evidence in the last decades shows that iron is a fundamental element for the normal development of the immune system. Its deficiency affects the capacity to have an adequate immune response.
Foods rich in iron include:
Red meat (limit to smaller amounts and less often).
Chicken
Turkey
Canned sardines
Oysters
Beans
Spinach
6. Zinc
Zinc is needed for the production of new immune system cells. It’s found primarily in animal foods but can be also found in some vegetarian food.
Oysters
Crab.
Meats and poultry.
Baked beans
Yogurt
Chickpeas
7. Supplements
What is a Supplement?
A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one’s diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in order to increase the quantity of their consumption.
Although supplements containing high doses of antioxidants and other nutrients found in whole foods are often touted as natural immune-boosters, some research indicates that taking dietary supplements may have limited benefits for the immune system. Your body uses and absorbs nutrients more efficiently when they come from whole food sources like fruits and vegetables, rather than processed foods or supplements.
Additionally, these nutrients are better obtained from foods than supplements. If you’re still considering taking them, it’s a good idea to consult your healthcare provider first to weigh the pros and cons.
Supplements aren’t for everyone, but older adults and others may need them to get the nutrients they might otherwise lack. Pregnant women and people with special illnesses also do need supplements. There is an established study that an overdose of supplements could affect the body adversely. Getting vitamins and minerals from whole food sources or from supplements, which one is better? In our article, supplements vs whole foods, we explained in detail the disadvantages of supplements and also their merit.
Other ways to boost your immune system
The following lifestyle strategies will surely make your immune system stronger:
- Don’t smoke (or stop smoking if you do).
- Avoid alcohol or drink in moderation.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Perform moderate regular exercise.
- Aim to manage stress. This is easier said than done but try to find some healthy strategies that work well for you and your lifestyle; meditation, a particular hobby, or talking to a trusted friend. Though friends seem to disappear as we age on.
- Get enough sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Try to keep a sleep schedule, waking up and going to bed around the same time each day. Our body clock, or circadian rhythm, regulates feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness, so having a consistent sleep schedule maintains a balanced circadian rhythm so that we can enter deeper and restful sleep.
- Exercises regularly
Those who have health challenges ranging from Malaria, Typhoid, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Weakness in the Bedroom, Infections, ulcers, Eyesight problems, etc are most likely caused as a result of lack of some vital vitamins and minerals.
Sadly, too many of us don’t eat enough of the fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods we need to keep ourselves healthy year-round. Somehow and inexplicably, we spend more money on liquor than on fresh fruits and vegetables. Healthy foods provide many substances including vitamins and minerals to keep us strong and healthy.
