What are vitamins?
Vitamins are essential for good health. Vitamins help build stronger bones, boost energy, improve appetite and improve brain function. They provide all the nutrients your body needs to function.
Natural vitamin: Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for your bones and body and is needed for the absorption of calcium and iodine. It helps the immune system to fight bacteria and viruses. Vitamin D is found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, cod liver oil, milk and egg yolk. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is produced by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. It is also found in other foods, such as fortified cereals and margarine.
Natural supplements: You can get vitamin D3 from supplements, as this is the most available natural form of vitamin D. It comes in a tablet, liquid or syrup.
Vitamin C – is associated with the way our body transports oxygen to all parts of the body.
Zinc – in our diet is known to reduce inflammation in the body and acts as a shield against harmful free radicals. It is also good for skin problems.
Now that you know how our bodies work, let’s look at how some vitamins and supplements can help keep our immune systems healthy.
What is the immune system?
The immune system is our body’s natural defence against infection and disease. It is very clever and powerful and has evolved to fight off harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi, cancer, asthma, allergies, food poisoning and many other things. The cells of the immune system are called T-cells. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Different T cells have different functions. For example, some T-cells help you fight off diseases, and some T-cells are trained to find and destroy cancer cells. There are even T-cells that attack diseases inside your cells, even if they don’t look sick. It is a very delicate system that requires a certain amount of strength. Most people have some symptoms after an illness. But your immune system will continue to fight the virus and you will get better.
If we do not get enough vitamins, it cannot work properly. Just as the road is important for your car, your immune system needs a road to work well.
So to make your immune system work, we need to take supplements. Vitamins take your immune system to the next level. You may have heard people say that they are taking vitamins, but we know that they are getting nutrients from the food we eat. Without proper nutrition, our immune system will suffer. Vitamin B and zinc boost immunity by strengthening the T-cells that help fight the virus.
How can I strengthen my immune system?
There are three important components of immunity.
- The body’s ability to fight infection,
- the production of antimicrobials in our bodies,
- the energy your immune system gets from the food you eat.
When it comes to food, there is some evidence that you need to eat anti-inflammatory foods to boost your immune system. But there is still some debate about how anti-inflammatories work. If you have persistent inflammation in your body, it could mean that your immune system isn’t working well. You want to make sure you eat foods that are high in nutrients and antioxidants that fight inflammation. You should also exercise and meditate regularly to reduce stress and give your body a break.
What are anti-viral foods?
Antiviral foods are foods that boost the immune system’s ability to fight viruses and bacteria. They also include anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory foods. One of my favourite foods is ginger. And I’m not talking about ginger ale. As well as supporting a healthy digestive tract, ginger tea contains antioxidants and other nutrients. It is a very healthy green tea with ginger. And for those of you who don’t drink hot drinks, you can use ginger in any recipe for cold or flu-fighting dishes. This could be chicken soup, ginger snaps or even carrot and ginger juice
What are anti-inflammatory foods?
One of the things that keeps many of us sick is inflammation – the problem that occurs when our immune system attacks healthy tissue. In response, our bodies send chemicals and tissue to the site of inflammation, which can cause swelling and pain. This process makes you more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. Inflammation can be caused by an infection, injury, flu, eye or sinus infection, for example. It can also be caused by the normal immune system responding to something foreign entering your body. This can happen if you have a cough, for example, or if you eat an apple.
An anti-inflammatory diet includes foods that boost your body’s natural ‘fight or flight’ response, which can both reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Foods to eat
Fruits such as cherries, raspberries and blackberries.
Then brown rice, wholemeal bread (not white),
Almonds and macadamia nuts
Vegetables: spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions and cabbage.
Fish: salmon, tuna and sardines, vegetable oils.
Conclusion
We cannot live without the immune system. We all know that our immune system is what keeps us alive. Without it, our bodies cannot fight off infections and viruses. Although influenza is the most serious respiratory illness in the last 100 years, most people who develop flu symptoms will recover within seven to 14 days with good home care. Stay well.
