Best Nutrients to Boost Your Immune System

The immune system is a warrior and a defensive barrier needed to protect the body against threatening factors, diseases, and infectious particles.
The immune system consists of two major parts, The innate immune system, and the adaptive immune system. Both of them can be advantageous in their particular ways.
You have to note that there is no exact supplement or a drug to make the immune system impenetrable, but some diets and foods can boost it.

There are some steps to boost the defense system through a healthy lifestyle and a good diet. What should we do to change our habits and plan a better lifestyle in the direction of health?
♦ Quit smoking
♦ Follow a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and nutritious foods. You can take your personalized online diet by clicking here.
♦ We recommend having a regular exercise plan to be in shape and fit.
♦ Paying attention to the BMI and being in the range of 18.5-25 to maintain a proper healthy weight.
♦ Quit drinking alcohol or using it in moderation.
♦ Adjusting the sleep time of the body and getting enough sleep.
♦ Following the procedures to avoid infections. E.g., the best way to stay away from corona disease is washing hands constantly and observing the social distancing in the covid-19 pandemic.
♦ Start to release the stress, having a peaceful mind without mental pressures. E.g., taking part in yoga and meditation practices.

Some specific foods include components that can be put in an immune system booster diet—foods containing high vitamins, antioxidants, CLA, essential fatty acids, needed minerals, etc.

CLA or conjugated Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated, a natural type of trans fat omega-6 fatty acid. All the trans-fats are not unhealthy, and the CLA is one of those exceptions. It is an antioxidant that can beneficially help the immune system. The CLA may lower the body fat content.
CLA, the healthy fat, can be found in foods such as:
♦ Full-fat dairy product
♦ Vegetable oils
♦ Meat
♦ Cow milk
♦ Goat milk
♦ Sheep milk
♦ Lamb
♦ Ice cream
♦ Buttermilk
♦ Butter
♦ Cottage cheese
♦ Cheddar cheese
♦ Sour cream
♦ Fresh ground turkey
♦ Eggs
♦ Mushrooms
♦ Safflower oil
♦ Soy oil
♦ Corn oil

Grass-fed cow beef has higher CLA content than grain-fed ones.
CLA supplements are chemical, and they are not naturally derived from foods. The food CLA originated is better than CLA supplements because they have better health effects. This supplement brings the feeling full to people who take it, but we have to note that there are some side effects that the CLA supplement consumers should consider.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is needed to maintain healthy eyes and skin and promote proper growth and development. The status of Vitamin A in the body is like a double-edged sword. It can have pros and cons, but a high level of Vitamin A may lead to toxicity. Therefore, the vitamin A content should be observed correctly. Vitamin A is vital for developing some immune cells that defend the body against inflammation and infectious particles. Vitamin A has a crucial role in immune tolerance and defense against inflammatory reactions in gut flora. The lack of vitamin A can increase the risk of mortality in infants with infectious diseases. Therefore, supplementation after six months is essential. The supplementation with vitamin A can have harmful side effects such as an increase in the intensity of Pneumonia and the increased risk of transportation of HIV from mother to infant. The supplementation should not be done if the infection is active.

Foods high in vitamin A:
♦ Liver
♦ Eggs
♦ Milk
♦ Cod liver oil
♦ Animal foods

Carotenoids in plant-based foods can be converted to vitamin A. carotenoids are found in Spinach, kale, Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, butternut squash, and cantaloupe, red and yellow bell peppers, apricot, peas, paprika, chili, parsley, cilantro, coriander.

A diet low in vitamin C can reduce delayed skin allergy. Neutrophil cells, a type of white blood cell, have high levels of vitamin C. They are needed to protect cells from oxidative stresses and bacteria. Vitamin C can promote the creation of white blood cells. Studies have shown that enough vitamin C content in the diet can reduce symptoms and the duration of respiratory-related infections.

Foods high in vitamin C:
Citrus fruits: Grapefruit, Amanatsu, Orange, Blood Orange, Balady Citron, Citron, Clementine, Limes, Lemons, Tangerines, Mandarin
Other foods are rich in Vitamin C: Peppers, Potatoes, Strawberries, black currants, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Kakadu plums, Acerola cherries, guavas, chili, parsley, thyme, Kale, Mustard spinach, Kiwi, Lychees, persimmons, Papayas, Red bell peppers.

It is a vitamin that suppresses Adaptive immunity.
Vitamin D has crucial functions such as calcium and bone homeostasis, including modulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses. Cells of the immune system are capable of synthesizing and responding to vitamin D.
Immune cells like B cells and T cells have a vitamin D receptor that will conclude the importance of vitamin D in the immune system. Vitamin D can promote bone health and calcium homeostasis, resulting in the effect on immune cells' production.
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in increased autoimmunity and susceptibility to infection. Vitamin B3 can be a better choice than the other forms because it is the most influential promoter of the body's vitamin D level. The recommended dosage is 400-800 IU.

Foods high in vitamin D:
♦ Yogurt is a great source, and the fortified ones are a better choice. It can regulate immunity and is a booster.
♦ Egg yolk
♦ Salmon
♦ Sardines
♦ Herring
♦ Mackerel
♦ Red meat
♦ Liver
♦ Fortified cereals
♦ Fortified fat spreads
♦ Dietary supplements

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that has been called an excellent antioxidant. It helps the free radicals and prevents oxidative damage. Vitamin E supplementations enhance the immune system function and boost white blood cell production. Also, increase the resistance to infection and the risk of them. It also can increase delayed skin allergy and improve the immune reactions in elderlies.

Food sources of Vitamin E:
♦ Plant-based oils such as sunflower oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil
♦ Rice bran oil
♦ Wheat germ oil
♦ Sunflower seeds
♦ Almonds
♦ Peanut
♦ Peanut butter
♦ Asparagus
♦ Red bell pepper
♦ Avocado
♦ Mango
♦ Spinach
♦ Swiss chard
♦ Trout
♦ Butternut squash
♦ Beet greens
♦ Collard
♦ Pumpkin

Pyridoxine or vitaminB6 is one of the vitamins in the B complex group. People with autoimmune disease and kidney and liver problems may have a vitamin B6 deficiency. Pregnancy, smoking, obesity, and high alcohol intake are other causes of B6 poverty. The body needs vitamin B6 for the proper function of the brain and peripheral nervous system. In children, it has an important role in the development of the brain and its processes. The weakened immune system is the critical side effect of pyridoxine deficiency, indicating the importance of taking foods high in this vitamin and making up for the lack of vitamin B6 with its supplementations.

Foods high in vitamin B6:
♦ Pork
♦ Chicken
♦ Turkey
♦ Fish
♦ Peanuts
♦ Soya beans
♦ Wheat germ
♦ Oats
♦ Bananas
♦ Milk
♦ Fortified cereal

Zinc has a molecular mechanism effect on immune system functions. Enzymes, cytokines, and thymic peptides are under the influence of zinc status in the body. The impact is on the activation of lymphoid cells, their proliferation, and apoptosis. People with zinc deficiency have more potential to be infected by some pathogens and get sick.
The low zinc levels in our body can lead to thymus atrophy, and it has an adverse effect on the immune system. The immune system functions vary from skin barrier to defensive blood cells. It is under the influence of zinc levels.
Zinc stable the macromolecules against oxidants.

Foods that can provide the needed zinc for the body:
♦ Oysters
♦ Red meat
♦ Poultry
♦ Crab
♦ Lobster
♦ Porkchop
♦ Bean
♦ Fortified breakfast cereal
♦ Pumpkin seeds
♦ Yogurt
♦ Eggs
♦ Dry roasted cashew
♦ Chickpeas
♦ Cheese
♦ Oatmeal
♦ Low-fat milk
♦ Shellfish
♦ Potato
♦ Dark chocolate

Selenium deficiency can increase the viral invasion in viral infections. Selenium is an antioxidant that lowers oxidative stresses. Therefore, the lack leads to the dysfunction of some parts of the immune system. The protein components, including selenium, affect the immune system. Selenocysteine and the antioxidant glutathione peroxidases can be mentioned to protect the neutrophils from radicals. Therefore, they can kill foreign organisms.
Selenium enhances cytotoxic effector cells' function, and they are essential for T cell maturation and their functions through their antibody production. The deficiency of selenium nowadays is a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality. The Selenium serum level significantly can impact the patient's health condition. Selenium deficiency can improve the progression of viral infections. Studies have shown that the high selenium diet can increase T cell signaling, leading to a powerful and improved immune system. This is only a small part of the various functions of selenium in the immune system.

Foods high in selenium:
♦ Brazil nuts
♦ Ham
♦ Tuna
♦ Halibut
♦ Sardines
♦ Enriched Macaroni
♦ Shrimp
♦ Beefsteak
♦ Turkey
♦ Beef liver
♦ Chicken
♦ Cottage cheese
♦ Brown Rice
♦ Egg
♦ Whole wheat bread
♦ Baked beans
♦ Oatmeal
♦ Milk
♦ Yogurt
♦ Lentils
♦ Spinach

Iron is needed for the proliferation and maturation of immune system cells, especially lymphocytes. The body can the ability to reduce the iron availability that the infectious elements want to consume. Excess iron can increase the development of infections and invasion of tumoral cells; therefore, the iron level should be observed accurately. The iron deficiency makes the body susceptible to disease and decreases the immune system's natural defensive function.
You can find foods high in iron and their good sources in the Anemia diet article.

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