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Eat right and fortify your Immune System

Fall flu and cold season is upon us, especially with kids back in school.

When cold and flu season comes around, many people head to their medicine cabinets in search of relief. But a trip to the kitchen may be the smarter move. Nutrition plays an important part in maintaining immune function. Insufficiency in one or more essential nutrients may prevent the immune system from functioning at its peak.

“There is no question the immune system fundamentally is influenced by overall health-and a balanced diet is key,”says David Katz, M.D., MPH., director of Yale Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut. “Not only are essential nutrients critical for the production and maintenance of key germ-fighting cells in the immune system, but a balanced diet also has a strong effect on vascular function, and the immune system is dependent on blood flow,” Katz says. The bloodstream is the route along which infection-fighting cells travel throughout the body to where they’re needed. Given the complexity of the immune system, there isn’t one specific food that will magically make you repel cold germs and flu viruses. Instead, eating a healthful, balanced diet is your best investment in immunity.

1. Fill your plate with fruits and vegetables.
   The vitamins (especially A and C) and the phytochemicals that lend fruits and vegetables their colors serve as antioxidants that promote immune function. These nutrients help ensure that lymphocytes can divide and reproduce properly in response to a virus and that the neutrophils and macrophages that engulf and kill invading bacteria can do their job.

What to do: Eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day. To maximize the variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, aim to consume two different colors of vegetables and fruits with each meal. Cover two thirds of your plate with fruits and vegetables and one third with lean protein.

2. Choose lean protein.
   The amino acids that are found in protein form the building blocks of all body cells-including cells that power your immune system. If you don’t consume enough protein, you will manufacture fewer white blood cells to combat antigens. One of the ways immune cells fight against pathogens is by increasing their numbers. To increase immune cell proliferation, you need protein and amino acids.

What to do: Consume 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of your body weight. That means if you weigh 130 lbs, which equals about 59kg, consume at least 47 grams of protein per day. But remember that quality counts: To avoid saturated fat, choose 3-4 ounces of lean protein such as fish, seafood, poultry (without the skin), eggs, lentils, beans and soy products.

3. Focus on healthful fats.
   High fat diets appear to impair the immune system by decreasing the function of T-lymphocytes. Reducing fat, on the other hand, can boost immune function by enhancing T-lymphocyte function. However, the type of fat you consume is equally important as the amount. Trans fats (found in margarines and many commercial baked goods) can contribute to chronic low- grade inflammation in the body. The immune system can become tied up with dealing with inflammation rather than defending the body.

What to do: Limit your total fat intake to 30 per cent of daily calories, with 5-10 percent from saturated fats. For the remaining 20-25 percent, look for sources of unsaturated fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, nuts, avocados, and seeds. And increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids (from fish like salmon, halibut and sardines), which help fight inflammation and free your immune system to defend against antigens.

4. Take one supplement that works.
   Most researchers agree that a multivitamin is well worth taking. If you have even a marginal deficiency of certain nutrients-paticularly the B vitamins, A, C, E, selenium, iron, and zinc-your immune system’s function could be impaired. This can happen without seeing any obvious signs of deficiency-until you become sick with a virus or bacterial infection.

What to do: Choose a multivitamin specifically for your gender and age. For example, multivitamins made for men and post-menopausal women contain less iron than those made for younger women.

5. Consume friendly bacteria.
   A yogurt or kefir drink per day might help keep infections at bay. That’s because these foods contain probiatics, bacteria that stimulate immunity cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Normal healthy bacteria that colonize the GI tract help you resist bad bacteria and detoxify harmful substances.

What to do: Look for yogurt or kefir that contains “live active cultures,” indicating helpful bacteria.

This article was taken from a monthly newsletter provided by Dr. Forgey at Sports Med & Rehab Clinic.

Here’s To Your Health
Dotty

Technorati Tags: cold and flu season, fruits and vegetables, lean protein

Tags: cold and flu season, fruits and vegetables, lean protein