Let's Talk About the Immune-boosting Foods
One of the first things you need to know about your immune system is that these forces, which defend you against infection and other illnesses, cannot wage their best battle unless they are being well nourished.
Because eating too few of the right nutrients can weaken your body and allow germs and disease to gain a foothold, a good diet is the first and most important way to stay well. That's plain old common sense. But it's also been scientifically proved. Researchers now know that B-cells, T-cells, phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells can't do their best at quashing cancer cells and other dangerous invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, without strong backup from the vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals found in healthy foods.
The latest proof is a study by US researchers, which found that women of older ages (say from 60 to 80) with good eating habits had immune function that was just as sound as that of younger women aged 20 to 40. This confirmed what several earlier studies had already suggested - that while genetic and environmental factors may do their part to gradually chip away at immune function, much of the decline often seen with advancing age is probably highly preventable with simple good nutrition.
You'd be surprised at how many chronic health problems start small and snowball into something more serious mainly because of a bad diet. Nutrient deficiencies that stem from poor eating habits can dampen the immune response and open the door to illness. In a vicious cycle, being sick creates an increased need for immune-boosting foods.
The arsenal of health-protective compounds in food can enhance immune functioning in measurable ways - for example, by increasing the number of white blood cells when the body is most vulnerable to infection. If this fact carries a ring of'boring, rigid diet', put your fears to rest. When it comes to eating, we've all had our fill of'no' and 'never'. Instead, this chapter is about choices. After reading up on the many flavour-packed foods with proven health-enhancing potential, you'll see how easy it is to devise an immune-boosting diet you'll love.
Foods versus supplements: Why bother with good-for-you foods when you can simply pop a pill?
While supplements have their place, by far the easiest, least expensive and most effective way to heighten your body's ability to fight disease is to eat a diet that is rich in immune-stimulating nutrients. These include vitamins and minerals as well as many other compounds — including ones that haven't even been discovered yet.
One important discovery made by scientists investigating the disease-fighting powers of foods is that their nutrients are absorbed better from food than from pills. It also turns out that foods work synergistically — in other words, their health benefits are greater when they are eaten together. For instance, tomatoes, chillies and garlic, the ingredients of the classic salsa, deliver more potent power to protect your health when they are eaten in combination than when they are eaten alone. This finding reinforces the notion that supplements can never replicate the benefits of a varied diet.
Another reason not to rely solely on supplements: research shows that you can get too much of certain immune boosters, including vitamin E (an antioxi-dant), by taking supplements. An overload of these nutrients might actually suppress immunity, making you more vulnerable to illness instead of less.
Besides helping your body to fight infection, eating more immune-boosting foods will give you a number of other health advantages. The dietary habits that strengthen immunity also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. A diet based on plant foods, with moderate amounts of lean meat and low-fat dairy and small amounts of high-fat foods, is particularly effective in reducing the risk of cancer. For added health protection, always maintain a balance between kilojoule intake and physical activity.
Because eating too few of the right nutrients can weaken your body and allow germs and disease to gain a foothold, a good diet is the first and most important way to stay well. That's plain old common sense. But it's also been scientifically proved. Researchers now know that B-cells, T-cells, phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells can't do their best at quashing cancer cells and other dangerous invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, without strong backup from the vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals found in healthy foods.
The latest proof is a study by US researchers, which found that women of older ages (say from 60 to 80) with good eating habits had immune function that was just as sound as that of younger women aged 20 to 40. This confirmed what several earlier studies had already suggested - that while genetic and environmental factors may do their part to gradually chip away at immune function, much of the decline often seen with advancing age is probably highly preventable with simple good nutrition.
You'd be surprised at how many chronic health problems start small and snowball into something more serious mainly because of a bad diet. Nutrient deficiencies that stem from poor eating habits can dampen the immune response and open the door to illness. In a vicious cycle, being sick creates an increased need for immune-boosting foods.
The arsenal of health-protective compounds in food can enhance immune functioning in measurable ways - for example, by increasing the number of white blood cells when the body is most vulnerable to infection. If this fact carries a ring of'boring, rigid diet', put your fears to rest. When it comes to eating, we've all had our fill of'no' and 'never'. Instead, this chapter is about choices. After reading up on the many flavour-packed foods with proven health-enhancing potential, you'll see how easy it is to devise an immune-boosting diet you'll love.
Foods versus supplements: Why bother with good-for-you foods when you can simply pop a pill?
While supplements have their place, by far the easiest, least expensive and most effective way to heighten your body's ability to fight disease is to eat a diet that is rich in immune-stimulating nutrients. These include vitamins and minerals as well as many other compounds — including ones that haven't even been discovered yet.
One important discovery made by scientists investigating the disease-fighting powers of foods is that their nutrients are absorbed better from food than from pills. It also turns out that foods work synergistically — in other words, their health benefits are greater when they are eaten together. For instance, tomatoes, chillies and garlic, the ingredients of the classic salsa, deliver more potent power to protect your health when they are eaten in combination than when they are eaten alone. This finding reinforces the notion that supplements can never replicate the benefits of a varied diet.
Another reason not to rely solely on supplements: research shows that you can get too much of certain immune boosters, including vitamin E (an antioxi-dant), by taking supplements. An overload of these nutrients might actually suppress immunity, making you more vulnerable to illness instead of less.
Besides helping your body to fight infection, eating more immune-boosting foods will give you a number of other health advantages. The dietary habits that strengthen immunity also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. A diet based on plant foods, with moderate amounts of lean meat and low-fat dairy and small amounts of high-fat foods, is particularly effective in reducing the risk of cancer. For added health protection, always maintain a balance between kilojoule intake and physical activity.
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