JonDFoods That Boost Your Immune System
June 2nd 2008 07:41
Snotty nose, streaming eyes, banging head and sore ears, aches and pains in parts of the body you never knew existed. We all know that there is nothing worse than catching a debilitating flu or even a common cold (Especially for us men). But nutrition experts all believe that a poor diet is a top factor in making us susceptible to illness and that all of what our bodies need to fight off infection can be found in foods.
Using foods to fight off diseases is not a new concept. French Dr and Prophet Nostradamus found that certain foods helped in his fight against the plague. It was with this knowledge that he made his famous pill, which he used with great success. Although he wasn’t fully aware of it at the time and didn’t really understand why his concoction worked, we now know that these pills were very high in vitamin C, which is essential in the fight against infection.
Prevention magazine recently released its top five foods that will boost your immunity: beef, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tea and yoghurt all made the list and nutritionist Heidi Skolnik said that we should eat each of these foods every day. With this in mind it may be a bit of a surprise to see beef make the list. She doesn’t suggest that tucking in to a 20-ounce t-bone every day would be a good idea but she does recommend smaller portions “A three-ounce portion of beef and very importantly lean beef that is low in fat is an important source of zinc.”
A severe zinc deficiency will actually depress the immune system function. Zinc is also required for the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell that helps fight infection. But if you are vegetarian and beef is definitely off the menu, you may be pleased to hear that oysters are also a great source of zinc.
Sweet potato or any orange vegetable such as carrots or pumpkin should also be eaten every day as they are very high in vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, it becomes easier for bacteria to enter the body and cause infection. Vitamin A also helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.
Cook yourself a three-ounce lean burger and then throw on some mushroom because mushrooms are another high-immunity food. Like beef mushrooms help in the production of white blood cells but Skolnik also says that “recent studies have shown that mushrooms may make white blood cells act more aggressively against foreign bacteria”
Another must is something that the English seem to have been well aware of for centuries; drinking tea is good for you. So make sure you drink at least one cup of green or black tea to help bulk up your immune system. “Tea is a great source of polyphenols or antioxidants. These clean up any damaging compounds that can hurt your DNA and accelerate aging” Says Skolnik
Yoghurt, especially ones that contain active cultures are a good source of healthy bacteria that help break down food in our intestine. They are especially useful after being on a course of antibiotics as they kill most of the bacteria in our body including the beneficial bacteria, so eating yoghurt will help replace some of these.
These are just a few foods that our important in maintain our all round health. But eating the right foods is only one step of three that you must take on the path to living a healthy life. Plenty of sleep and regular exercise are also vitally important to getting the most of yourself and reaching your full potential.
Using foods to fight off diseases is not a new concept. French Dr and Prophet Nostradamus found that certain foods helped in his fight against the plague. It was with this knowledge that he made his famous pill, which he used with great success. Although he wasn’t fully aware of it at the time and didn’t really understand why his concoction worked, we now know that these pills were very high in vitamin C, which is essential in the fight against infection.
Prevention magazine recently released its top five foods that will boost your immunity: beef, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tea and yoghurt all made the list and nutritionist Heidi Skolnik said that we should eat each of these foods every day. With this in mind it may be a bit of a surprise to see beef make the list. She doesn’t suggest that tucking in to a 20-ounce t-bone every day would be a good idea but she does recommend smaller portions “A three-ounce portion of beef and very importantly lean beef that is low in fat is an important source of zinc.”
A severe zinc deficiency will actually depress the immune system function. Zinc is also required for the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell that helps fight infection. But if you are vegetarian and beef is definitely off the menu, you may be pleased to hear that oysters are also a great source of zinc.
Sweet potato or any orange vegetable such as carrots or pumpkin should also be eaten every day as they are very high in vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, it becomes easier for bacteria to enter the body and cause infection. Vitamin A also helps the skin and mucous membranes function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.
Cook yourself a three-ounce lean burger and then throw on some mushroom because mushrooms are another high-immunity food. Like beef mushrooms help in the production of white blood cells but Skolnik also says that “recent studies have shown that mushrooms may make white blood cells act more aggressively against foreign bacteria”
Another must is something that the English seem to have been well aware of for centuries; drinking tea is good for you. So make sure you drink at least one cup of green or black tea to help bulk up your immune system. “Tea is a great source of polyphenols or antioxidants. These clean up any damaging compounds that can hurt your DNA and accelerate aging” Says Skolnik
Yoghurt, especially ones that contain active cultures are a good source of healthy bacteria that help break down food in our intestine. They are especially useful after being on a course of antibiotics as they kill most of the bacteria in our body including the beneficial bacteria, so eating yoghurt will help replace some of these.
These are just a few foods that our important in maintain our all round health. But eating the right foods is only one step of three that you must take on the path to living a healthy life. Plenty of sleep and regular exercise are also vitally important to getting the most of yourself and reaching your full potential.
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