Strengthen the immune system with food

Strengthen the immune system with the right foods

16/11/2014

Winter is just around the corner and with the colder days the colds are on the rise. If you want to survive the cold season healthy, you should strengthen the immune system and the immune system. An important contribution to this is a healthy diet.

Healthy through the cold season
Sniffles, coughing fits, headaches: In the cold season, it comes as every year increasingly to colds. The many cold viruses that are in circulation, you can hardly miss. But you can keep fit for the sick leave. For example, by consuming fresh or freshly prepared plant foods as often as possible in order to build up strong defenses. The body receives from raw and gently cooked vegetables and fruits important nutrients that strengthen the immune system. According to a news agency dpa, the ecotrophologist Julia Zichner from the German University for Prevention and Health Management / BSA Academy in Saarbrücken especially recommends citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli and cabbage, all of which are very rich in vitamin C..

Bad weather should not deter you from moving outdoors
A good supplement to this are dried fruits such as cranberries or sour cherries, as these provide important phytochemicals. Basically, it is good to know which foods contain the most nutrients. For example, fat sea fish contains a lot of vitamin D, and vegetable oils and nuts are good sources of vitamin E. In addition, minerals should not be neglected. As Zichner explained, zinc is found in liver and meat as well as in lentils and oatmeal, and selenium is found in fish, meat, chicken eggs and nuts. The expert also recommends that you pay attention to sufficient sleep, less stress, exercise and recovery for the body, to provide strong defenses. Even cold and bad weather should not deter you from physical activity outdoors.

Sufficient supply of vitamins
In order to be sufficiently supplied with the respective vitamins, one should first take a look at which foods they contain. Vitamin A, which protects both the skin and the body's defenses, is contained in animal products such as milk, eggs and liver. The body can also absorb vitamin A via fruits and vegetables such as apricots, spinach and kale. Like Vitamins C and E, this vitamin is one of the antioxidants that have several beneficial effects on the body. The fact that you can prevent colds by vitamin C - as propagated for years - has in the meantime proved to be inappropriate in various studies. As the „Frankfurter Rundschau“ (FR) writes, Vitamin C can relieve the symptoms of a cold and so it would be worthwhile to spoon Kiwis or drink a hot lemon, if you are already sniffling. Cabbage, broccoli and red peppers also have a high vitamin C content. It should be mentioned, however, that several studies in the past came to the conclusion that vitamin C can not help with a cold for a cold and cough.

Vitamin D in the sunless time
Vitamin E is an important protection for the cell membrane and is mainly found in vegetable oils and nuts. According to the information, a daily requirement of about twelve milligrams is recommended, which is, for example, in about 50 grams of fresh hazelnuts or just under 20 grams of sunflower oil. It should be noted that a deficiency disturbs the function of many immune cells. In Germany, however, senior citizens are often over-supplied with vitamin E, as has been reported in the past. This is because they often resort to nutritional supplements for fear of vitamin or magnesium deficiency. Since we get too little sunlight in the cold season - and thus too little UVB radiation -, the supply of vitamin D is of great importance. An untreated deficiency can lead to bone softening (osteomalacia), skeletal deformation, or bone loss (osteoporosis), among other things. In the sun-poor period, vitamin D can be absorbed well by foods such as fish, mushrooms or avocados.

Important trace element selenium
Vitamin B6, which aids in antibody production and regulates the immune system, is found in animal and plant foods. Especially in wheat, rice, millet, bananas and fish, such as sardines. Selenium should not be missing on the menu. This trace element strengthens the body's defenses and protects the body from the cell-damaging free radicals. Foods that contain selenium include fish, meat and cereal products, and sesame. In recent years, experts have often pointed out that while many people in Germany are not adequately supplied with selenium, others are over-supplied, as they fall back on selenium supplements. According to physicians, such remedies should only be taken after consultation with a doctor, as complaints such as abdominal pain, gastrointestinal problems, hair loss or changes in the nails are at risk.

Zinc and unsaturated fatty acids
Another trace element that can strengthen the body's defenses is zinc. A deficiency can lead to faster infections and makes the skin more susceptible to inflammation. For example, the recommended seven milligrams a day is 300 grams of wholegrain bread or 140 grams of hard cheese. Studies have shown that in cold-chilled people who took zinc, some symptoms such as fever, sore throat, or a runny nose disappeared faster than others. Also mentioned in the FR report are flavonoids, which are secondary phytochemicals, such as green tea, onions, chocolate and red wine. Accordingly, stimulants such as red wine or chocolate - enjoyed in moderation - our immune response because of their antioxidants positive. Finally, it addresses unsaturated fatty acids. These are not only energy suppliers but also important for the absorption of vitamins A, D and E. Furthermore, fatty acids are needed for the development of cells and regulate the lipid metabolism. Contained are the good, unsaturated fatty acids such as in sunflower and olive oil but also in walnuts. (Ad)