As you age, the robustness of your immune system starts to decline. This means that you are more susceptible to various infections such as pneumonia, influenza, UTIs, skin infections, and respiratory conditions, as well as diseases like cancer and shingles.
For this reason, you should take steps to fortify your immune system to help you live as happy, fulfilling, and healthy life as possible. Thankfully, there are several ways you can do this, including nutrition, which we’ll highlight in this post.
What is the immune system?
Your immune system is essential to your overall health and well-being.
Essentially, it is a complex network of tissues, organs, and cells that protect your body from infections and diseases.
It works by identifying when something, such as the flu virus, has entered your body, at which point it instigates a counterattack to protect yourself against them via your white blood cells.
The stronger your immune system, the better you will be able to stave off sickness. However, it follows that when it weakens, you are at increased risk of getting sick, which is why you should do all you can to keep it sturdy.
Non-Nutritional Strategies to Strengthen the Immune System
Before we look at the foods you can eat to strengthen your immune system, it is worth highlighting some of the non-nutrition-based steps you can take.
Activities like getting between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, taking the COVID and flu vaccine, and keeping active can all significantly help to maintain your constitution at optimal levels.
Additionally, managing and minimising stress, quitting smoking, reducing your intake of alcohol, and spending time in nature can all be beneficial, too.
Some holistic wellness practitioners even recommended taking supplements and medical drinks like Souvenaid to improve your immunity levels and mental well-being. You can read some interesting Souvenaid reviews here.
10 Foods that strengthen your immune system
We all know that maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is important. But it is becomes much more important for people as we age.
What you eat can literally make a difference over time to whether you are healthy or not. So, here are 10 foods that you should eat on a regular basis. (In no particular order of importance).
1. Fish oil
Fish like mackerel, tuna, and salmon are known to have very high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids, which boost activity among the white blood cells that fight infection.
As healthy fats, they are very beneficial to your immune system and promote good brain and heart health, too.
2. Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, goji berries - you can't go wrong with berries.
Packed with nutrients and vitamins, they provide you with an essential boost to your health and are perfect to eat on their own as a delicious snack or in a smoothie or yoghurt.
3. Citrus fruits
Most citrus fruits, including oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, limes, and lemons, contain high levels of vitamin C, which can be effective in increasing white blood cells and, therefore, fighting infection.
An easy way to introduce them to your diet, other than eating them, is to make a juice out of them.
4. Brightly coloured vegetables
Talking of vitamin C, you can also get it from brightly colored vegetables like red peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
Meanwhile, carrots contain beta-carotene, which is very good for your skin, eyes, and immune system.
5. Leafy greens
Vitamin C is also found in kale, spinach, collard greens, and other dark vegetables that are packed with antioxidants and beta-carotene.
These all contribute to fighting infection, and they are very beneficial to your gut, brain, and heart.
6. Yogurt
This delicious fermented food in rich in vitamin D and live and active cultures that could stimulate and help to counter disease by strengthening your immune system.
Ideally, you should look for brands that do not contain high levels of refined sugars and, if they need to be sweetened, do so naturally with fruit or honey.
7. Poultry
There is a reason why chicken is good for the soul (and immune system), and that is because it is high in vitamin B-6.
This vitamin has impressive properties that can not only reduce inflammation but also have zinc, which increases your white blood cell count and can create new red blood cells.
If you don’t cook, here are some meal delivery services that offer excellent chicken meals.
8. Olive oil
When preparing any cooked meal, you should always use healthy oils like olive oil.
Prominent in the Mediterranean diet, this healthy fat is very good for your brain and heart and can reduce inflammation.
Extra virgin olive oil is the best type for cooking as it has a very high smoke point of 400°F.
9. Spices
Foodies will tell you that spices can seriously uplift the taste of a dish, but they can also significantly enhance your immune system as well.
Ginger, turmeric, cumin, cloves, and paprika are just some of the many spices that have been championed for their health benefits over centuries by various civilisations who associate them with being a fabulous way to improve people’s health.
10. Nuts and seeds
When you fancy a snack, almonds, walnuts, and other nuts, in addition to seeds like sunflower seeds, a host of vitamins and minerals like phosphorous, magnesium, selenium, and B-6, that help to enhance your immune system.
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