Tips From Our Dietitian: Immune System Boosters
Our dietitian Alexa has a lot of great things to share. This month, she’s shedding light on something a lot of us are thinking of: how can we boost our immune system and avoid that seasonal cold?
Good, quality nutrition is key to a strong immune system, which can offer protection from seasonal illnesses like the flu. Help protect yourself against sickness and boost your immunity by including these nutrients in your daily meals!
Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system and protects the body from infections by keeping skin and tissues in the mouth, stomach, intestines, and respiratory system healthy. Find vitamin A in sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, red bell peppers, apricots, eggs, or foods labeled “vitamin A fortified”.
Protein plays a big part in the body’s defense mechanism. Eat a variety of protein foods including seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, soy, and seeds.
Zinc: helps the immune system work properly and may help heal wounds. Zinc can be found in lean meant, seafood, walnuts, hazelnuts, cheese, and whole wheat grains.
Vitamin E works as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals and may improve immune function. Include vitamin E with fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, legumes, vegetables oils, hazelnuts, and peanut butter.
Vitamin C protects the body from infection by stimulating the formation of antibodies and boosting immunity. Include more of this vitamin in your diet with citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, papaya, strawberries, and tomato juice.