11/06/2020
Focus on healthy food
Vitamins, minerals and fatty acids from food are involved in healthy immune system function.Vitamins A, C, and D, the mineral, zinc, and omega-3 fats each regulate immunity.
Vitamin A helps to protect the mucosa, including the lining of the mouth, throat, intestines and lungs. These barriers are important in stopping microbes from crossing over into our body and bloodstream. This nutrient is also important in the antibody response we talked about above. Organic meats, wild caught salmon and tuna, and eggs provide vitamin A.
Vitamin C assists in killing microbes. It then helps to clear away the dead cells that have resulted from the fight, protecting against tissue damage. Kiwi fruit, green capsicum, guava, blackcurrants and citrus fruits contain ample vitamin C.
Vitamin D, amongst many immune functions, is involved in stepping up the pathways that lead to the destruction of foreign invaders. This is best obtained through safe, sufficient sun exposure. Limited foods contain this important nutrient including eggs and fatty fish like herring, mackerel
and salmon.
Zinc helps to kill microbes, produce chemical messengers that are important for appropriate immune response, and support the cells that engulf foreign invaders like PacMan does his enemy ghosts. Oysters, organic grass-fed beef, firm tofu, h**p seeds and lentils contain healthy levels of zinc. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to increase B cell populations, an important type of immune cell. Again, fatty fish are a great option. Think anchovies, mackerel, salmon and sardines. Flax
seeds, chia seeds and walnuts are rich vegetarian options.
