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"NOTHING IS MORE VALUABLE THAN YOUR HEALTH"
Nutrition Tip No.3
BOOSTING IMMUNITY
If you regularly “feel under the weather”, are prone to catching colds, or have allergic tendencies, then your immune system is likely to be weakened. This can lead to a cycle of infection, further damaging the immune system, leaving us open to further infections and illnesses.
Common factors contributing to reduced immunity include:
Stress - depresses the immune system due to an increase in the body’s demand for nutrients, such as vitamin C, for production of stress hormones.
Poor Diet - low intake of essential nutrients will lead to a compromised immune system.
Sugars - reduce the ability of white blood cells to destroy foreign particles and micro-organisms within the body. Sugar also competes with vitamin C for absorption in the body.
Excess Weight - associated with decreased immune status. Overweight people tend to suffer from more infections than those of ‘normal’ weight.
Alcohol - consuming more than the recommended maximum intake can deplete vitamin C, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium.
High-fat Diet – saturated fats clog up the lymphatic system, impairing the filtering and removal of toxins, and affecting mobility of white blood cells. Fatty diets lead to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases. Trans fats and hydrogenated fats promote the production of 'free radicals', which can damage immune cells.
To give your immune system a boost:
· Avoid the above, and take regular exercise
· Increase intake of fresh fruit and vegetables (at least 5 portions per day)
· Avoid processed and refined foods, and artificial additives
· Increase intake of wholegrains, beans and pulses
· Increase intake of essential fatty acids (oily fish, nuts, seeds, and coldpressed oils)
· Eat organic food where possible
· Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of filtered or bottled water daily, and keep caffeine to a minimum
· Invest in a juicer and make your own fruit and vegetable juices.
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