Vitamin C aids in the proper functioning of the immune system to safeguard the body from disease and increases iron absorption from plant-based foods.
Vitamin C comes from:
Grapefruit and orange juice, red and green pepper, and kiwifruit are all examples of citrus fruits.
Broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, baked potatoes, and tomatoes are among the other fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin D Your immune system relies on vitamin D to combat pathogens and viruses. When skin is exposed to the sun in direct sunlight, the body produces vitamin D.
Vitamin D's sources:
Mackerel, tuna, and salmon are examples of seafood.
Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, and egg yolk) made from beef liver Nutrition and Immunity
strawberries oranges and other berries
During the flu season or times of illness, people often seek special foods or vitamin supplements that are believed to boost immunity. Vitamin C and foods like citrus fruits, chicken soup, and tea with honey are popular examples. Yet the design of our immune system is complex and influenced by an ideal balance of many factors, not just diet, and especially not by any one specific food or nutrient. However, a balanced diet consisting of a range of vitamins and minerals, combined with healthy lifestyle factors like adequate sleep and exercise and low stress, most effectively primes the body to fight infection and disease. Nutrition and Immunity
The microbiome is an internal metropolis of trillions of microorganisms or microbes that live in our bodies, mostly in the intestines. It is an area of intense and active research, as scientists are finding that the microbiome plays a key role in immune function. The gut is a major site of immune activity and the production of antimicrobial proteins. The diet plays a large role in determining what kinds of microbes live in our intestines. A high-fiber plant-rich diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes appear to support the growth and maintenance of beneficial microbes. Certain helpful microbes break down fibers into short chain fatty acids, which have been shown to stimulate immune cell activity. These fibers are sometimes called prebiotics because they feed microbes. Therefore, a diet containing probiotic and prebiotic foods may be beneficial. Probiotic foods contain live helpful bacteria, and prebiotic foods contain fiber and oligosaccharides that feed and maintain healthy colonies of those bacteria. Eating a good quality diet, as depicted by the Healthy Eating Plate, can prevent deficiencies in these nutrients. However, there are certain populations and situations in which one cannot always eat a variety of nutritious foods, or who have increased nutrient needs. Vitamin and mineral supplement may help to fill nutritional gaps. Studies have shown that vitamin supplementation can improve immune responses in these groups. Low-income households, pregnant and lactating women, infants and toddlers, and the critically ill are examples of groups at risk. The elderly are a particularly high-risk group. The immune response generally declines with increasing age as the number and quality of immune cells decreases. This causes a higher risk of poorer outcomes if the elderly develop chronic or acute diseases. In addition, about one-third of elderly in industrialized countries have nutrient deficiencies. Some reasons include a poorer appetite due to chronic diseases, depression, or loneliness; multiple medications that can interfere with nutrient absorption and appetite; malabsorption due to intestinal issues; and increased nutrient needs due to hyper metabolic states with acute or chronic conditions. Diet variety may also be limited due to budget constraints or lower interest in cooking for one person; poor dentition; mental impairment; or lack of transportation and community resources to obtain healthy food.
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