4 Tips to Increase Nutrients That Strengthen the Immune System

When people think about their immune system, they usually consider their role in fighting a cold or infection. But there is a direct connection between the immune system and nutrition.

Our immune system is one of the most effective forms of defense against viral infections. There are two categories of immune functions in everyone's body: innate immunity that prevents diseases from entering the body and adaptive immunity that eliminates or prevents the growth of pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, in our body.

Tips to Increase Nutrients That Strengthen the Immune System

In a person who is malnourished, the immune system shuts down. In people who are overweight or obese, the immune system becomes hyperactive and causes inflammation.

How Nutrition Affects the Immune System

There is a tangible connection between the immune system and nutrition. How much we sleep, what we eat, where we live, how much we are habitant of exercise, and even who we live with, all causes chemical reactions that can alter our health.

Tips to Increase Nutrients That Strengthen the Immune System

To the mixture is added our microbiome, which are the microorganisms on which we depend to protect against germs, break down food to obtain energy, produce vital vitamins and strengthen our immune system.

Tips to Increase Nutrients That Strengthen the Immune System

Most of the immune system, about 70%, is located near the intestines, which controls food intake and how the body uses them. This makes it essential for us to eat a balanced diet with the right vitamins, minerals and nutrients, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

4 Tips to Increase Nutrients That Strengthen the Immune System

Eating a balanced diet requires ensuring optimal nutritional intake at the cellular level. Be sure to consume enough of the following nutrients:

1. Include protein in your daily diet.

Also known as the abutment that forms muscles, the protein allows the body to make the antibodies it needs to defend against viruses and invasive bacteria. To ensure that we have sufficient levels of protein in our diet, we can eat foods with healthier proteins, such as fish, chicken, lean meats, soy foods and low-fat dairy products.

2. Incorporate vitamins and phytonutrients.

Vitamins A and C, as well as phytonutrients, are key players in the health of the immune system. As one of the biggest stimulants in the immune system, vitamin C encourages our body to produce disease-fighting antibodies. Maintaining a daily intake of vitamin C is essential as the body does not produce or store it. Vitamin A supports the health of our skin, tissues of our digestive tract and respiratory system.

Phytonutrients, found in vegetables and fruits, reduce the oxidative stress of our body, which can weaken its ability to fight disease. Several phytonutrients have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, fight inflammation, lower blood pressure and improve the overall health of our immune system.

3. Focus on gut health with probiotics and prebiotics.

The digestive system plays a central role in supporting immune function. The intestinal tract is the main route of contact with the external environment and is a pathway containing microbiome that aid digestion as well as nutrient absorption. Having the right gut bacteria has been associated with benefits such as weight loss, better digestion, healthier skin and, more importantly, improved immune function, although research in these areas is not conclusive or universally applicable.

Studies have shown that probiotics, which are "good bacteria," are useful for maintaining the digestive system, and prebiotics, types of fiber that the human body cannot digest, serve as food for these probiotics.

4. Increases Omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA, are healthy and essential types of fat, which can be found in foods like chia seed and supplements like fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids can improve the functions of immune cells, which plays an important role in both the innate system and the adaptive system that responds to infections.

Tips to Increase Nutrients That Strengthen the Immune System

Following general good health guidelines – balanced diet, regular exercise – is your first line of defense and the best way to naturally keep your immune system strong and healthy.