Building Immunity Through Food
Does what you eat make it easier to shake off colds and infections? Can changing your nutrition help keep bugs at bay? Nobody wants to go through the blocked nose and sore throat of the common cold; would it not be great if there was something you could do to build your defences? We look at some of the foods and nutrients that help to support your immune system and, hopefully, help you make it through the year bug free.
No one food does it all
You might see immune-boosting supplements, shots and claims, but the reality is that your body needs lots of different nutrients to have a healthy immune system, so there is no superfood or supplement that will give you all that you need. A balanced, healthy diet, along with plenty of sleep, is the real goal. But there are some nutrients to pay attention to:
Zinc
Although vitamin C is famous for helping to support a healthy immune system, zinc is one of the key nutrients you need. Studies show that one of the signs of zinc deficiency is frequent infections. Foods with the most zinc include meat, fish and shellfish. Adding foods like beef, salmon and mussels can help you reach targets for zinc. Nuts and seeds are also great sources, especially if you follow a plant-based diet. You can find zinc in pecan nuts, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C really does help to support your immune system, but you probably do not need to take huge doses. Aim to get your vitamin C from food; that way you will pick up lots of other nutrients along the way. You will find vitamin C in all fruit and vegetables. Some of the foods with the highest levels of vitamin C include red peppers (126 mg), kiwis (71 mg) and oranges (37 mg). You need around 80 mg of vitamin C per day. Simply adding some fruit and or vegetables to every meal will make sure you are getting all the vitamin C you need.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is often linked to healthy bones, as it helps your body to absorb calcium, but it is also an important part of a healthy immune system. We are supposed to get vitamin D from the sun, but anyone living in Ireland knows that sun is a rare and treasured thing… In winter, the sun that reaches Ireland is too weak for us to make vitamin D naturally, so we do need to get it from supplements and foods. The HSE recommends that we all take a vitamin D supplement from October to March every year.
Iron and immunity
Being low in iron can make you more prone to infections. You can be low in iron due to a poor diet, illness, heavy periods and conditions like coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease. Lots of people do not eat enough iron without realising it. Women need twice as much iron as men, which is why they are more likely to have low iron levels. You need two to three iron-rich foods every day. Red meat is a great source, but so are chicken legs, the brown meat, eggs, mussels, chickpeas and spinach. Nuts and seeds are also good sources of iron, including sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds. Breakfast cereals are often fortified with iron, and this can be an easy way to get iron into children’s diets. Check the labels.
Can supplements help?
It is not always easy to have a healthy diet all the time. Food first is the best way to go when it comes to nutrition. When you eat a food for vitamin C, you will also pick up fibre and other nutrients. But if you are struggling, a supplement can help to bridge the gap until you have more time. You can buy supplements with vitamin C and zinc, or you can choose a general multivitamin that will have a little bit of everything.
Rest
Once you have given your immune system everything it needs to be at its best, you then need to rest so it has a chance to build it up. There is no point eating a healthy diet if you never give your body a chance to use the nutrients. Rest is very important in helping to avoid coughs and colds. Your immune system needs to repair and update itself regularly, and it needs lots of sleep and rest to do this. Did you know that humans sleep, on average, one and a half hours less per night than we did 100 years ago? Aim for seven to eight hours’ sleep a night, if you can. Apologies to parents of small children. Try to be in bed before 10 pm, as you get your best quality of sleep before midnight. If possible, try to take some rest during the day too. You do not have to go to sleep, but even taking 20 minutes at lunch to stop and take a break can help.
Do traditional remedies work?
Traditional remedies such as hot honey and lemon may not help cure your cold, but hot drinks can help loosen a blocked nose, and hydration can help you feel a little better. Lemon is a good source of vitamin C too. Hot tea, chamomile tea and hot chocolate can also be comforting when you are feeling unwell.