TOP 5 FOODS TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
- genesis ali
- Apr 4, 2023
- 3 min read
Top 5 foods to help support your immunity.
With lockdown restrictions easing up in the UK, people are slowly starting to re-socialise. This is made easier by the change in weather as it is becoming sunnier. Contact with more people than usual increases the likelihood of spread of infections. Regardless of the change in restrictions or worrying about COVID, your immunity should always be a priority. After all we are nothing without our health. The immune system is what protects your body from diseases and infections. It is the bodily system that produces the immune response to defend your body from foreign substances, cells, and tissues.
During the pandemic you have probably heard people talking about herd immunity in relation to the importance of getting vaccinated. The term herd immunity refers to a reduction in the likelihood of someone catching a specific infectious disease because a significant proportion of the people in that person's community are immune to it. Vaccines can be very helpful, but I think it would be wise to also help the immunity we were naturally born with. This is probably a good time to talk about the types of immunity.
There are 3 types of immunity namely innate, adaptive, and passive.
Innate immunity: Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection. This is our first line of defence. For example, the skin acts as a barrier to block germs from entering the body.
Adaptive immunity: Adaptive (or active) immunity develops throughout our lives. We develop adaptive immunity when we are exposed to diseases or when we're immunized against them with vaccines.
“DID YOU KNOW OVER 70% OF YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS FOUND IN YOUR GUT. ”
Passive immunity: Passive immunity is "borrowed" from another source and it lasts for a short time. For example, antibodies in a mother's breast milk give a baby temporary immunity to diseases the mother has been exposed to.
Now we know about the different types let’s talk about what factors can depress our immune system. This includes things like older age, environmental toxins, excess weight, poor diet, chronic disease and lack of sleep and rest.
For the purpose of this article, I will focus on nutrition. Malnutrition or a lacking in one or more nutrients can affect the overall function of your immune system. A healthy, balanced, and varied diet is key to improving your immune system. Examples of nutrients that have been identified as critical for the growth and function of immune cells include vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, selenium, iron, and protein (including the amino acid glutamine).
Its important to note no one single food will boost your immunity. The key is variation. Here are some foods worth incorporating into your diet to help support your immunity:
1. Sauerkraut – finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented.
2. Kombucha tea - a fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink.
3. Kefir - a fermented drink, traditionally made using cow’s milk or goat’s milk.
4. Kimchi – a spicy, fermented cabbage, kind of like sauerkraut
5. Miso - a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients.
So, remember your immune system is vital to your health and wellbeing. It protects your body from diseases and infections. We have 3 types of immunity innate, adaptive, and passive. Factors such as older age, environmental toxins, excess weight, poor diet, chronic disease and lack of sleep and rest can depress our immune systems. Incorporating the aforementioned top 5 foods can help to support your immune system.
https://www.pcrm.org/news/blog/foods-boost-immune-system
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