A Strong Immune System through Proper Nutrition

There are people who are just constantly sick, they get one cold after the other. The reason is often a weak immune system.

How good or bad but our immune system works depends on a number of factors. In particular, the diet plays an important role.

Generally we can't say that one particular food is especially good for our immune system. Instead, it is the interaction of various foods that is important. With a balanced, holistic and healthy diet, you get the best combination of healthy materials.

Important Substances for the Immune System

Once you are sick, you unfortunately can't eat yourself healthy. Therefore Therefore, strengthening your immune defenses as a whole is a better approach. Our immune system needs a whole range of different substances which occur in different foods in order to function well. These substances include:

Proteins: they are part of antibodies and other agents of the immune system.
Fats affect the immune system as well.
Vitamins: the classics. The more variety you bring to the diet, the better. Antioxidant vitamins protect our body from free radicals.
Minerals and trace elements: zinc and selenium and other substances have a positive effect on our defenses.
Phytonutrients: Few know that these substances are very important for our immune system. To date, approximately 30,000 different phytonutrients are known to scientists, including flavonoids, polyphenols, and anthocyanins. The positive modes of action these substances have on our bodies are very diverse, which is not surprising with such a large number. Many als help in the defense against viruses and bacteria. Phytonutrients are contained only in plant-based foods. This we find them in both in fruits and vegetables as well as legumes, cereals, seeds, nuts and even tea and coffee.

What Matters

The important thing, is how often and how much we eat of something. The emergence and progression of many diseases depends largely on our eating habits and our lifestyle.

The type of food that we eat determines the protective effect it has. A good supply of as many substances as possible is important because only the complex interplay of various food components shows the best effects.

The effect depends less on the necessary nutrients but the balance of all the nutrients, because only then do they develop positive interactions.

The Best Effect

A fundamentally healthy diet with a simultaneously active lifestyle is most effect. Regular exercise and sports strengthen the immune system as well.

Last-minute changes are not enough. They have virtually no effective long-term effect in disease prevention. So it does not help to drink a liter of freshly squeezed orange juice to prevent colds. Just a regular balanced diet will do.

Why a Balanced Diet is Important

A balanced diet keeps you healthy. It also helps the body in avoiding deficiencies. Optimally, one should have foods that have the correct fatty acid composition, the proper ratio of long to short chain carbohydrates, and the right protein amino acid pattern. If all that is too complicated, follow these basic nutrition recommendations: