Your immune system is impacted by many factors. These include alcohol, smoking, genetics, stress, fitness level, obesity, medication, and sleep quality just to name a few. Your diet is one factor which is under your control and can make a major impact on the strength of your immune system and its function.
Ensuring your diet is both adequate in meeting all your food groups needed for health as well as variety is essential. Nutrients within these groups play many roles in optimizing your immune system function including:
- Gives your body the energy to regenerate. This includes making new cells and the components which make up your immune system e.g. receptors and cytokines or chemicals involved in your immune response e.g. the amino acid arginine and nitric oxide.
- Provide improved immune response to an invader e.g. virus or bacteria. Such as vitamin A and zinc.
- Some nutrients play an important role in reducing your risk of infection and supporting an optimal immune system state. These include iron, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin B9 (folate), zinc, vitamin A, D, E and K
- Reducing inflammatory states and oxidative stress which put you at a greater risk of getting sick e.g. vitamin E and C, phytochemicals, antioxidants, selenium, zinc, and copper. Also, anti-inflammatory fats like omega-3 fat.
- Promote optimal gut health where 70% of your immune system is located. This can be promoted with a variety of different plant foods and fibre types, also prebiotics, polyphenols, and phytochemicals. For good gut health it is recommended to have 30 different plant foods each week. Also including two sources of probiotic rich foods each day like yoghurt, miso, tempeh, kombucha or sauerkraut.
Take home message: There is no one nutrient which stands out to protect and support your immune system. Balance is key and is why popping a pill cannot meet the protection of what a balanced and varied diet can provide.
