Fight Illness with Food

Support and strengthen your immune system with food.

As we traverse through the winter months we enjoy many fun activities such as skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and more. However, winter also brings challenges, as colds, the flu, and even COVID-19 can disrupt our enjoyment of the season. Fortunately, studies show that proper nutrition can help support and strengthen our immune systems. Here are some effective ways to boost your immunity through your diet.

Choose Nutrient Rich Foods that Support Immunity

Maintaining a healthy immune system relies heavily on the right nutrients. Key players include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, and zinc. Ensuring you get these four nutrients daily can provide essential support in fighting off illness.

Vitamin C plays a crucial role in combating colds by increasing white blood cell count and providing antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize harmful molecules that can damage your body’s cells. You can primarily find Vitamin C in peppers and citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. The average adult woman needs 75 mg, while adult men require 90 mg of Vitamin C daily. Interestingly, one whole pepper can provide enough Vitamin C to meet your daily needs.

Vitamin E is a vital nutrient for a robust immune system, primarily due to its potent antioxidant properties. The most abundant sources of Vitamin E are nuts and seeds, making them excellent additions to a balanced diet. Adults require only 15 mg of Vitamin E daily, which is relatively easy to achieve. For instance, enjoying just half a cup of almonds can provide you with 100% of your daily needs, delivering not only this essential vitamin but also healthy fats and additional nutrients that support overall health.

My personal favorite mineral for the immune system is selenium. It helps boost immunity by reducing inflammation and promoting a faster immune response, and it’s also a strong antioxidant. A quicker immune response enables your body to better fight and prevent diseases. Selenium can be found in foods like Brazil nuts, meats, seafood, and poultry. The average daily intake for adults should be around 55 micrograms. As long as you diversify your diet, reaching your daily selenium intake shouldn’t be difficult.

Lastly, we have zinc, an essential mineral for the formation of white blood cells. Zinc is particularly abundant in shellfish such as oysters, crab, lobster, and mussels. The average adult male requires about 11 mg of zinc daily, while the average adult woman needs around 8 mg. Similar to selenium, if you include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other zinc-rich foods in your diet, you should easily meet the daily recommended intake.

Making sure you eat the right vitamins and minerals can ensure your body will have a stronger fight against the illnesses this winter.

Strengthen Your Gut Immunity

Did you know that your gut contains beneficial bacteria? These helpful microbes play a crucial role in digesting food that our bodies cannot break down on their own, producing byproducts that our body can utilize. Prebiotics serve as food for these gut bacteria, helping to keep them alive and thriving. They can aid in preventing diarrhea, constipation, metabolic diseases, and even potentially lower the risk of cancer. Common sources of prebiotics include apples, bananas, and oats.

On the other hand, probiotics are foods that contain live bacteria, which can enhance digestion and further prevent diarrhea and constipation. They also provide an added layer of defense for your intestinal barrier. Some common sources of probiotics include yogurt, sourdough bread, pickles, and swiss cheese.

When these beneficial bacteria digest prebiotics, they produce postbiotics, which are chemical messengers to help promote immune response and help eliminate harmful gut bacteria. Together, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics contribute to a healthy gut environment.

Fight off the sick this winter

As the chill of winter continues, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with nutrient-rich foods that not only warm your heart but also fortify your immune system. Think of your diet as a shield against the winter blues and sniffles—each bite of citrus, each handful of nuts, and every spoonful of yogurt is like a tiny warrior, ready to defend you from colds and flu. So, while you’re gearing up for festive fun and snowy adventures, don’t forget to fuel your body with the right foods. Embrace this season, and let’s toast to a winter filled with laughter, snowflakes, and a resilient immune system that can keep up with all your winter escapades! Cheers to health and happiness!

References

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.634897/full

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/foods-that-boost-the-immune-system#sunflower-seeds

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/selenium-benefits#4.-Helps-prevent-mental-decline