How Healthy Diet Can Help in Boosting Immune System: an Overview

Supercharge your body defense system by treating your body right. It is the immune system’s job to defend the body against illness and disease. The intricate structure is made up of cells in your blood, skin, tissues, bone marrow, and organs that protect your body against potentially harmful bacteria and viruses, and limit damage from sunburn or cancer.

Imagine the immune system as an orchestra, for the optimum execution, each and every instrument and musician has to perform accurately according to plan and at its best. The same goes for your immune system. To protect your body, every component of the defense system needs to perform exactly according to plan. The most appropriate way to ensure this happens is to maintain a wholesome diet to obtain all vitamins, minerals, micronutrients upon which the immune system runs.

Vitamin A - The infection-fighter

It strengthens both the innate and adaptive immune systems of the body. The innate immune system protects the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract,  skin, and eyes. Vitamin A’s two main dietary sources are

  • Carotenoids
  • Carrots.
  • Sweet potatoes.
  • Pumpkin.
  • Butternut squash.
  • Cantaloupe.
  • Dark green leafy vegetables.
  • Retinoids
  • Cow's milk (fortified with vitamin A)
  • Shrimp
  • Eggs
  • Salmon
  • Tuna

Vitamin D - The Sunshine Vitamin

Best-known for its bone health benefits, vitamin D also plays a critical role in strengthening overall immunity. It also aids in the activation of immune-boosting compounds. Vitamin D deficiency is very common among breastfed infants, older adults, people with fat malabsorption, and people who have a BMI greater than 30 (classified as obese) or who have undergone gastric bypass surgery. In winter, most people do not get enough vitamin D from the sun to meet their needs. It’s important to check your vitamin D3 levels and is recommended to get it through Vitamin D3 supplements as there are only very few food sources of Vitamin D like: 

  • Fish
  • Cod liver oil
  • Vitamin D-fortified milk, yogurt, and nondairy milk
  • Chicken
  • Egg yolks

Vitamin C - The booster

Vitamin C is what makes your immune system strong and is a potent anti-oxidant in our body. Vitamin C might help hinder infections or shorten their stay. Daily intake of vitamin C is fundamental for good health because your body does not generate or store it. It aids in the absorption of other nutrients like iron and is also needed for collagen synthesis. The great sources of vitamin C

  • Citrus fruits
  • Bell peppers
  • Strawberries
  • Tomatoes
  • Bell peppers.
  • Strawberries.
  • Papaya.
  • Amla
  • Kiwi

Vitamin E:

Like vitamin C, vitamin E can be a strong antioxidant that helps your body repulse infection. This important vitamin is part of closely 200 biochemical reactions in the body. Consider high-fat plant foods such as below to get your vitamin E,

  • Almonds.
  • Hazelnuts
  • Peanuts/peanut butter.
  • Sunflower seeds.
  • Oils such as sunflower and soybean oil.
  • Spinach

Vitamin B12 - Fuel to the body

It is a necessary vitamin for cells to produce energy and is responsible for forming red blood cells, playing an important part in neurological function. Vitamin B12 deficiency will cause loss of weight, weakness, or a high risk of fatigue. Older adults are also at risk for a deficiency because they are less capable of absorbing the B12 they consume. Vegetarians and vegans are possibly to have low vitamin B12 since it is most commonly found in

  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Dairy products

In case you are feeling fatigued, taking a Vitamin B12 supplement might just improve your energy levels.

Magnesium - The bodybuilder

Protecting our body and responding to immune damages, magnesium assists in transforming vitamin D into its active usable structure. It is believed to promote better sleep. Being an excellent source of energy it also improves symptoms of insomnia. It is found in foods like

  • Fish
  • Almonds
  • Whole grains.
  • Turmeric
  • Dark - Chocolates

Zinc - The anti-inflammatory

Zinc is needed for the production of new immune system cells and is an essential mineral that must be consumed via the diet. Apart from boosting the immune system, Zinc also helps the brain function, maintain healthy hormone levels. Since the body lacks the ability to store the mineral it is better to consume zinc supplements daily. It is found in some food like, 

  • Oysters.
  • Crab.
  • Lean meats and poultry.
  • Baked beans.
  • Yogurt.
  • Chickpeas.

Iron - The oxygen circulator

Iron is an essential mineral that helps your body to carry oxygen to cells and plays a part in many of the immune system processes. Iron deficiency is the primary cause of anemia, which can decrease immunity, and affect work performance. Your body can more easily absorb heme iron, abundant in foods like:

  • Red meat (Less often and smaller amounts).
  • Chicken.
  • Oysters.
  • Clams.
  • Mussels.

If you’re a vegetarian, you can still find iron in:

  • Beans.
  • Broccoli.
  • Kale.
  • Iron-fortified cereals.

Iron supplements will help maintain correct levels of iron.

Selenium - Immunity Enhancer

Selenium seems to have a powerful effect on the immune system being important for preventing infections, including the potential to slow the body’s over-active responses to certain aggressive forms of cancer. Look for selenium in:

  • Garlic,
  • Broccoli
  • Seafood (tuna, halibut, sardines).
  • Meat and liver.
  • Poultry.
  • Cottage cheese.

Folic acid

Folic acid aids your body produce new cells and also prevents modification to DNA that may lead to cancer. Everyone should keep a check on their folic acid intake, especially women. You can also get folic acid through

The Bottom Line

The foremost thing to boost the immunity system is to choose a healthy style of living. ‘The four components to keeping your immune system healthy are good nutrition, exercise, breathing, and meditation - Ann Boroch.’ Following simple good-health guidelines and knowing the vitamins and minerals your body needs can take you toward keeping your immune system working rightly. A huge deficiency in any one of these vitamins or minerals could lead to serious health problems. Supplements can help you remain energized throughout the day.

Today, there are several ways to change lifestyle and dietary plans to strengthen your immune system. Post-reading about how diet improves the immunity system it is well understood that what we do daily goes a long way. A simple modification in your diet will do wonders. Start the best lifestyle by getting in touch with ZIM Laboratories, an EU-GMP Certified Company, a drug delivery-based solutions provider with robust R&D facilities. We also help you choose the right health supplements for your diet and take the first step to boost and build the immune system.

About ZIM Laboratories

ZIM Labs is an innovative drug delivery solution provider focusing on improving patient convenience and adherence to drug intake. We offer a range of technology-based drug delivery solutions and non-infringing proprietary manufacturing processes for the production and supply of innovative and differentiated generic pharmaceutical products to our customers globally. At ZIM Labs we provide our customers a comprehensive range of value-added solid dosage differentiated generic products in semi-finished and finished categories/formulations. These include granules, pellets (sustained, modified, extended-release), taste-masked powders, suspensions, tablets, capsules, and recently developed Oral Thin Films (OTF).

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