Eat to Strengthen Your Immune System

15 Dec 2022

It seems like everyone is getting sick right now, especially with the flu. The immune system is very complex, but what you eat plays a huge role and can either harm or strengthen your immune system. So depending on how well you eat and what nutrients you prioritize, you'll be able to better fight off diseases and have better health outcomes. Nutrition is heavily related to your natural immunity which is very important. Here are some ways to naturally strengthen your immunity:

  1. Vitamin D: In addition to the immune system, vitamin D is a nutrient that affects so many things in your body like bone health, mood, and sleep. If you are in the northeast or somewhere that isn't getting a lot of sunlight right now since it's winter time, its almost impossible to have optimal vitamin D levels (which is why seasonal depression is a real thing). So, it would be best to supplement with vitamin D and throw in foods in your diet that contain vitamin D. Some foods are eggs, mushrooms, salmon, and sardines. But I would highly suggest supplementing during the winter because these foods don't have enough vitamin D to get your body to optimal levels.


  2. Zinc: This helps with cell mediated immunity, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Zinc is plays a role in a lot of different reactions in the body and is arguably the most important nutrient in relation to the immune system. A large amount of zinc is found in oysters. They are also found in other seafood as well as red meat and cheeses. They are found in smaller amounts in nuts and beans.


  3. Fermented foods: Foods like pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and some yogurts. The reason why these foods are listed is because they do a great job at healing the gut and supporting gut bacteria. These foods help grow beneficial bacteria in your gut that help fight infections and reduce inflammation. Around 80% of your immune system resides in your gut, so a healthy gut means a healthy immune system.


  4. Vitamin C and other antioxidants: Antioxidants also help your body fight off infections. I wouldn't recommend supplementing with vitamin C, since some might not work well. Instead, I would recommend eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables because most of them contain vitamin C. Some examples are strawberries, raspberries, pineapples, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and cauliflower.


  5. Lifestyle:

  • Sauna: The sauna helps clear out your lymph system - which is the buildup of toxins, waste, dead cells, and even cancer cells. Sweating helps circulate this lymph flow which can rid your body of toxins.

  • Not being "too clean": I know this one sounds a little counterintuitive. When you expose yourself to a wide range of germs your body learns to fight them off easily, which will help strengthen your immune system. This is probably one of the reasons why everyone is sick right now - we haven't let our bodies have that exposure in the last few years, so it hasn't worked in a while to fight off infections and sicknesses.

There hasn't been much talk the last few years about ways to naturally strengthen your immune system. Natural immunity counts, so if there's one thing to take away from this post its to go out and buy some vitamin D supplements, because if you live somewhere where it is cold you are most likely low in this very important vitamin. Following these as precaution with everyone around being sick will help have better outcomes.