Resultsbee.com

IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTERS

On the whole, your immune system does a remarkable job of defending you against disease-causing microorganisms. But sometimes it fails: A germ invades successfully and makes you sick. Is it possible to intervene in this process and make your immune system stronger? There are some vitamins that help you boost your immune system. The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing, but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons. The immune system is precisely that a system, not a single entity.

To function well, it requires balance and harmony. There is still much that researchers don’t know about the intricacies and interconnectedness of the immune response. For now, there are no scientifically proven direct links between lifestyle and enhanced immune function.

A compromised immune system cannot work as well as one that is fully functioning, according to the National Institutes of Health, which is why you want to do what you can to keep it healthy. Eating a variety of healthful foods packed with these immune-system-enhancing nutrients is one important step you can take. Here are six nutrient powerhouses to include in your daily diet:

• • Vitamin A: While vitamin A provides the first line of defense against germs and bacteria, vitamin C is responsible for boosting your immune system and forcing it to work hard to get rid of illnesses once and for all. By taking vitamin C immune system vitamins, you’ll be ensuring that you have enough in your body to create proteins that defeat germs, bacteria and viruses for good.
    
    

  • Vitamin C: Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is found in citrus fruits, kiwi, acerola and camu, and may boost the immune system by attacking the nucleic acid of the virus. This antioxidant vitamin fights with bacteria until they’re dead. Vitamin C may play an important role in connective tissue in our bones. The stronger these tissues are, the more they can resist attack from microbes. Vitamins C may act as an antioxidant. Antioxidants can help to combat radicals, allowing your immune system to be better equipped to combat invading bacteria and microbes.
    

  • Vitamin D: Vitamin D binds to cell receptors all over the body, causing changes in cellular function, Duggan explains. A study published in Frontiers of Immunology in 2013 found that the vitamin D receptor in combination with hormonally active vitamin D serves to regulate more than 900 genes that influence many physiological functions. Vitamin D also helps the body absorb calcium. The body can make vitamin D from exposure to the sun, and a few foods have naturally occurring vitamin D. Salmon, tuna, cod liver oil, and egg yolks, though, are some of the best sources.
    

  • Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It has the important role of protecting the thymus gland, which produces disease-fighting T-cells, and keeping these circulating white blood cells safe from damage, according to the National Library of Medicine. Duggan says vitamin E is especially useful when the immune system is under attack during times of oxidative stress and chronic viral illness. Good sources are raw nuts and seeds (and their oils), such as sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, and hazelnuts.
    

• Vitamin K: Vitamin K may protect people from liver and prostate problems and calcification of the arteries. The vitamin is essential in the blood clotting process to keep blood flow functioning normally following injury. By helping to prevent calcification in the arteries, vitamin K protects against heart disease. The buildup of calcium and other substances in the arteries can lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which causes heart disease. Studies reveal vitamin K may prevent calcium buildup, according to the George Matelijan Foundation.

• Selenium : Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, poultry, fortified breads, and other grain products

• Zinc: Zinc is a mineral found in foods such as oysters, poultry, red meat, beans, whole grains, and nuts. It’s essential for the immune system to function properly. In fact, it helps develop and maintain the immune system, Duggan says.

Apart from vitamins you can adopt healthy living strategies to improve immune health. Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:

• Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat.

• Exercise regularly.

• Maintain a healthy weight.

• Control your blood pressure.

• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.

• Get adequate sleep.

• Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.

• Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category.