How to Support Immune System

Exercise has been shown to improve immune health, but so can food!

Sleeping, exercising and lowering stress most effectively prime the body to fight illness, however, a balanced diet consisting of a range of vitamins and minerals in combination with these factors can have compounding positive effects on a person’s body.

Here are some important vitamins and minerals to incorporate into your meals that boost the immune system:

Vitamin C

Where to find it:

citruses (oranges, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit), bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, brussel sprouts, potatoes, and cauliflower

What is it good for:

Vitamin C helps to protect cells and keeps them healthy, maintain healthy skin, blood vessels, bones, cartilage and halps with wound healing

Vitamine D

Where to find it:

fish (especially fatty fish - salmon, tuna),, mushrooms, eggs

What is it good for:

Deficit of vitamine D can increase muscle and bone pain.

Zinc

Where to find it:

Foods rich in zinc include seafood (prawns, crab, oyster,...), fish, beef. Plant foods are rich in zinc too, but our body can't absorb it. That is why vegan and vegetarian people should be careful and maybe take some zinc supplements.

What is it good for:

Zinc activates enzymes that break down proteins in viruses and bacteria so they are less able to spread. Zinc also increases the activation of cells responsible for fighting infection.

Selenium

Where to find it:

Good sources of Selenium are pork, beef, turkey, chicken, fish, shellfish, and eggs.

What is it good for:

This antioxidant helps lower oxidative stress in your body, which reduces inflammation and enhances immunity. Studies have demonstrated that increased blood levels of selenium are associated with enhanced immune response.

Iron

Where to find it:

Foods rich in iron include meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, legumes, nuts, seeds, cruciferous vegetables and dried fruit.

What is it good for:

Iron plays an important role in immune function. A diet containing too little iron can cause anemia and weaken the immune system.

Protein

Where to find it:

In meet, eggs, cottage, legumes (such as pie, soya, lentils, beens, etc.)

What is it good for:

Including protein in every meal and snack delivers amino acids to the body which are the building blocks to making protein inside of the body such as hormones, enzymes, and antibodies.