THE essential nutrients for immune health
With winter just around the corner, the best way to keep your immune system protected from viruses is to do the groundwork now to ensure your immune system is working effectively against harmful pathogens.
And yes, we all know eating a balanced diet is one of the key ways to support your immune system, but there are particular nutrients that play an important role in our immune system that we should focus on in the coming months to ensure our defense mechanisms are in place.
Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid):
Lets talk about probably the most well known immune nutrient, Vitamin C.
Vitamin C helps with our defense mechanisms stimulate the production of white blood cells (lymphocytes and phagocytes) that protect the body against infections. Vitamin C is not just found in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits, but also strawberries, kiwi, capsicums, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is our ‘sunshine vitamin” and with the sun rays not as much on show during the winter, it is important to soak up the sun (with spf of course) as much as you can now, so it can be stored to be used in the colder months. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune function and reducing inflammation. In our foods, you can find Vitamin D in fatty fish like salmon, fortified dairy products, eggs, and sunlight exposure.
Zinc:
Zinc is an essential nutrient for the body’s immune system as it is Important for the development and function of immune cells, wound healing, and protein synthesis.
You can find zinc in meat such as beef and pork, shellfish (like oysters and crab), legumes (beans and lentils), nuts, and seeds.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A helps build those first line of defense barriers, like the integrity of the skin and mucosal barrier. You can find Vitamin A in sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale, and liver.
Vitamin E:
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant to help to protect immune cells from damage caused by free radicals which can break down our protective barriers allowing harmful pathogens into our circulatory system. Vitamin E can be found in nuts (like almonds and sunflower seeds), seeds, spinach, and broccoli.
Selenium:
Selenium plays a critical role in immune cell function and reducing inflammation. Food sources of selenium include brazil nuts, fish like tuna), poultry, eggs, and sunflower seeds.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are not only good for our brain health, but also helps reduce inflammation which provides support to our immune function overall. Good sources of Omega-3 Fatty acids include fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.
As you can see we want to aim for foods that have good sources of fats, proteins and antioxidants which help build and maintain the immune system defense mechanisms. Adding the foods above to soups, salads, curries, slowed cooked meals etc are a great way to create an immune boosting meal without the bells and whistles.
When it comes to immune health, we need to build upon our defense systems overtime. And overtime, they will get stronger and better and help us keep feeling well.
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