A healthy immune system

As Summer gives way to Autumn and the weather grows colder our thoughts increasingly turn towards our health and especially ways of protecting ourselves from illness. With Covid-19 variants, colds, throat infections, the flu and other seasonal ailments spreading around us it’s important to keep our immune systems tip-top.

What is the function of the immune system ?

The immune system is a vast, complex network of different organs, cells and proteins whose function is to work together to defend the body from illness, fight off harmful substances and germs which may enter the body and to protect the body’s cells. It has one goal-to keep us healthy. The immune system is remarkable-it possesses amazing record-keeping skills, recording and remembering every microbe it has encountered and defeated in order to enable it to destroy the offending microbe if in the future it ever dares to attack the body again. Every day we make lifestyle choices which can affect the efficacy of our immune response, either by improving how it works with healthy choices or alternatively by slowing it down and making it less effective.

How to support a healthy immune system

Immune cells require a supply of energy to allow them to respond to invading germs and infections and this comes from the food we eat. A great way to start building the foundations of a healthy immune system is with a balanced and nutritious diet which includes a wide variety of high fibre plant-based foods.

Recommendations for an immune supportive diet:

Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables which contain important vitamins for immunity. Some raw vegetables are particularly nutritious for example spinach, broccoli, kale and peppers to name a few.

Choose whole grains and pulses (pulses include beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils) Pulses are a type of legume which are seeds that grow in pods and they are one of the few foods which are classed as both a vegetable and a protein.
Add fermented foods like kimchi , sauerkraut, kombucha and live yoghourt or kefir to support a healthy gut microbiom.
Include nuts and seeds as they provide essential fatty acids (EFAs). These EFAs will help fight infections. Examples are chia seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds and pistachios.
Drink plenty of water-optimal hydration is at least 2-3 litres a day. The amount varies depending on age, levels of activity and weight.
Help your body to digest food efficiently and absorb nutrients by sitting down to eat and not rushing meals-give yourself time to eat.

What to avoid

It’s recommended to avoid foods/snacks which contain saturated fats, trans fats and processed carbohydrates.
Avoid alcohol
Limit or preferably avoid processed food
Eliminate sugar and sugar additives from your diet as studies show that spikes in sugar intake compromise and suppress your immune system. A diet high in sugar can result in inflammation and damage to healthy cells.

Choose a healthy lifestyle

Adopting healthy lifestyle practices in daily living can play a significant role in overall health and well-being and many clinicians consider lifestyle choices to be important in strengthening the immune system. These practices include maintaining a healthy weight, getting adequate good quality restorative sleep, taking part in regular physical activity, spending time outdoors especially in sunlight, looking after your psychological well-being and managing stress levels. Keeping socially connected with family, friends and colleagues can also help to improve your immune response to infections. Optimising our immune system is vital to enable us to combat disease and infections. By making healthy lifestyle choices and improving immunity we are ready and prepared to fight off invading germs.