Natural tools to strengthen your immune system

November 3, 2020

Reading time: 4 mins

The quantity and quality of nutrients absorbed through food plays a key role , clearly impacting the activity of the immune system.

There is evidence that overweight people with a high percentage of body fat are more likely to develop infectious diseases, as well as cardiovascular diseases, which are closely related to impaired immune function.

According to recent studies, diets high in saturated fat reduce the immune system's response , thus increasing the risk of infections.

Understanding how the immune system works is now more important than ever. Threats like COVID-19, the common flu, and others are becoming more common. Be sure to read this article about how our immune system works and the importance of protecting ourselves against inflammation to better understand how our defenses and our bodies work.

Here you'll find a comprehensive list of foods and supplements that provide the nutrients you need for strong immune systems:

1. 7 types of foods to strengthen your defenses

Foods rich in vitamin C: We're not talking about vitamin C in its synthetic form (ascorbic acid), but rather the kind found in foods where it's concentrated, such as sauerkraut, peppers, berries, and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C has the power to stimulate the production of white blood cells and is stored in large quantities in the adrenal gland.
Vitamin D: The important role of vitamin D in our bodies is well known today. It is primarily known for its immunomodulatory properties. Although it is called a "vitamin," it acts in our bodies like a hormone, capable of controlling and regulating the immune system. Vitamin D receptors exist in every leukocyte (white blood cell) and DNA, so we must pay special attention to it, as achieving optimal levels is rarely detected in blood tests. We find vitamin D in foods such as egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, organ meats like liver, and mushrooms , especially shiitake mushrooms . We must not forget to get about 20 minutes of unprotected sunlight every day to promote its synthesis.
Vitamin A: This fat-soluble vitamin helps form and maintain healthy teeth, soft and bone tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. It's also known as retinol, as it produces pigments in the retina of the eye. It's found primarily in foods such as cod liver oil, egg yolk, and butter.
Zinc: This is the most important mineral for the immune system due to its ability to boost T cells and protect against viral infections. Foods rich in zinc include dark chocolate, brown rice, crab, oysters, and pumpkin and watermelon seeds.
Coconut and coconut oil: Coconut oil, or MCT oil in supplement form, is rich in lauric acid, which is converted into monolaurin in the body, a compound found in breast milk that strengthens the body's innate immunity.
Garlic and onion: Known for their antiviral and antibacterial properties, they protect against infections and improve the response to viruses and bacteria.
Essential amino acids: It has long been known that dietary protein or amino acid deficiency impairs immune function and increases susceptibility to infectious diseases. Protein malnutrition reduces plasma concentrations of most amino acids. Growing evidence shows that dietary supplementation of specific amino acids to malnourished animals and humans with infectious diseases improves immune status, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality. These nutrients hold great promise for improving health and preventing infectious diseases in animals and humans.

2. 6 supplements that strengthen your immune system

Any of the vitamins and minerals mentioned above: Vitamins A, D and C, zinc and selenium can be supplied to the body in supplement form when, through food, we are unable to reach the minimum recommended intake or when we have problems absorbing them.
Colloidal silver: This is a compound of tiny electrically charged silver particles suspended in water due to the electrical charge present in each one. When silver comes into contact with single-celled organisms such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, it can kill them in just a few moments.
L-Glutamine: A non-essential amino acid involved in protein formation. It nourishes your lymphocytes and intestinal cells.
L-Lysine: Essential amino acid. Reduces infectious symptoms and is essential for the structural formation of collagen.
Lactoferrin (Lacto-ferro/Milk-iron): Globular protein present in milk. Powerful protector of the immune system. It has fungicidal, anti-allergic, catalytic, and radioprotective effects.
Colostrum: Rich in Immunoglobulin A (IgA), essential in the humoral adaptive response, on the mucous surfaces of the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urogenital tracts.

The goal of supplements isn't necessarily to provide nutrients , but rather to help ensure that those supplied through food are properly absorbed. In this context, it seems reasonable to recommend them in certain cases to optimize health. As always, let's first evaluate our diet, ensuring we're getting enough vegetables and fruits. Ensure adequate rest, daily sun exposure, and proper stress management. Let's start with the basics, and if you decide to take supplements, be sure to check the quality of their ingredients.

For your health.