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The quantity and quality of the nutrients absorbed through the diet play a leading role with a clear impact on the activity of the immune system.
In people who are overweight and have a high percentage of fat, there is evidence of a greater predisposition to the incidence of infectious diseases, as well as being more prone to developing cardiovascular diseases, closely related to alterations in immune function.
According to the latest studies, diets high in saturated fat reduce the response of the immune system, thus increasing the risk of infections.
Understanding the functioning of the immune system is now more important than ever. 'Threats' such as 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 in our body to better understand how our defenses and our body work.
Here you will find an exhaustive list of which foods and supplements provide you with the nutrients you need to have strong defenses:
1. 7 types of food to strengthen your defenses
- Foods rich in Vitamin C: we are not talking about vitamin C in its synthetic form (ascorbic acid) but that which comes from foods in which it is concentrated such as sauerkraut , peppers, berries, 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: today the important role of vitamin D in our body is well known. It stands out essentially for its immunomodulatory nature. Although it is called a "vitamin" it acts in our body like a hormone, with the ability to control and regulate the immune system. There are vitamin D receptors in each leukocyte (white blood cells) and DNA, we must pay special attention to it because reaching optimal levels of it are rarely detected in blood tests. We find vitamin D in foods such as egg yolk, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, organ meats such as liver, mushrooms , especially shiitake mushrooms , without forgetting exposure to sunlight for about 20 minutes a day without protection to favor its synthesis.
- Vitamin A: This fat-soluble vitamin aids in the formation and maintenance of healthy teeth, soft and bone tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. It is also known as retinol, since it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye. It is found mainly in foods like cod liver oil, egg yolks, and butter.
- Zinc: is the most important mineral for the immune system due to its ability to boost T cells and protect against infections caused by viruses. They are rich in zinc, dark chocolate, brown rice, crab, oysters, and pumpkin and watermelon seeds.
- Coconut and coconut oil: Coconut oil or in the form of a supplement, MCT Oil stands out for being rich in lauric acid, which is converted into monolaurin in the body, a compound contained in breast milk that strengthens the body's innate immunity.
- Garlic and onion: known for their antiviral and antibacterial capacity , they protect against infections and improve the response against viruses and bacteria.
- Essential Amino Acids: Deficiency in protein or amino acids in the diet has long been known to impair immune function and increase susceptibility to infectious disease. Protein malnutrition reduces the concentrations of most amino acids in the plasma. There is increasing evidence that the administration of specific amino acid dietary supplements to animals and humans with malnutrition and 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 previously named: Vitamins A, D and C, zinc and selenium can be supplied to the body in the form of a supplement when, through food, we are not able to reach the minimum recommended intake or when we have problems to absorb them.
- Colloidal silver: it is a compound of tiny electrically charged silver particles that are suspended in water due to the electrical charge in each one of them. When silver comes into contact with unicellular organisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi... it can act, achieving its elimination in just a few moments.
- L-Glutamine: Non-essential amino acid involved in the formation of proteins. I feed your lymphocytes and intestinal cells.
- L-Lysine: Essential amino acid. Reduces infectious symptoms and is essential in the structural formation of collagen.
- Lactoferrin (Lacto-ferro/Milk-iron): Globular protein present in milk. Powerful protector of the immune system. Fungicidal, antiallergic, catalytic and radioprotective action
- Colostrum: Rich in Immunoglobulin A (IgA), essential in the humoral adaptive response, on the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urogenital tracts.
The objective of the supplements is not necessarily to provide the nutrients but to help those provided through food to be correctly absorbed. In this context, it seems reasonable to recommend them in certain cases for the optimization of health. As always, let's first evaluate our diet, making sure we get enough vegetables and fruits. Adequate rest, daily sun exposure and proper management of stress levels. Let's start with the basics and if you decide to supplement, make sure of the quality of its composition.
For your health.
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