The immune system is our body’s defence against outside invaders. These can include everything from germs such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi to chemicals made by microbes known as toxins. For our body to stay in its best shape possible, we need a healthy immune system. To make sure you are armed against all those foreign bodies trying to create havoc in your body, micronutrients are the armour you need. While some occur in our body naturally, for others we need a little more aid. This can be achieved with the help of dietary changes and supplements. Here is all you need to know about the micronutrients to keep your immune system healthy and how you can obtain them:
Micronutrients Vital For Immune System
According to the World Health Organization, micronutrients are vitamins and minerals the body needs in minimal amounts. Yet their impact cannot be undermined. They are critical for our body’s health and deficiency in any of them can cause severe and even life-threatening conditions.
A study published by the National Library of Medicine has found that our body needs the following micronutrients to keep our immune system healthy:
Vitamin A, D, C, E, B6, and B12
Folate
Zinc
Iron
Copper
Selenium
How To Get These Micronutrients
Vitamin C: This is crucial to help prevent infections or shorten their duration. Everyone knows that citrus fruits are a must, but this vitamin can also be obtained from vegetables like spinach, kale, bell peppers, and brussels sprouts, and fruits like strawberries and papaya.
Vitamin E: This powerful antioxidant is a part of nearly 200 biochemical reactions in the body. It also helps the body fight off infections. The vitamin can be obtained from high-fat plant foods such as almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts, as well as, sunflower, safflower, and soybean oil.
Vitamin A: This is crucial to help the body fight infections, especially respiratory infections. This is one such micronutrient that our body doesn’t make on its own. Remember to add natural cheeses, milk products like yoghurt, eggs, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies, and herring to your diet.
Vitamin D: A study published by the Endocrine Society found that over 80 per cent of COVID-19 patients had vitamin D deficiency. To protect yourself from colds and flu, include oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel, as well as red meat, liver, and egg yolks in your diet
Zinc: A deficiency of this micronutrient can weaken the immune system by impairing the formation, activation, and maturation of lymphocytes. This is available in diet choices like oysters, crab, lobster, beef, chickpeas, cashews, and beans.
Folate: This micronutrient is crucial to help the body form healthy red blood cells. These are also necessary to reduce the risk of birth defects called neural tube defects. You can consume this from leafy greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, peas, chickpeas, and kidney beans, and breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid
Selenium: This lesser-known antioxidant is to arm yourself against bacteria, viruses, and even cancer. While brazil nuts are one of the best sources of selenium, you can also get this from dietary choices like tuna, halibut, ham, turkey, and cottage cheese.
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