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Nutrients To Improve Your Immunity

By May 12, 2020August 6th, 2024Nutrition Tips

One way you can take care of your health is to ensure your immune system has all the nutrients it needs to function effectively and fight off pathogens. A great way to get all the vitamins you need is through eating a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables. If you are deficient, it might be worth looking into supplementation.

Here are some important nutrients to boost your immune system:

Vitamin C
Stimulates your body to create antibodies and boosts immunity. Reduces the duration of cold symptoms. Some foods which contain a lot of vitamin C are capsicum, citrus fruits, strawberries, melons, tomatoes, broccoli and sweet potato.
Vitamin A
Regulates the immune system and protects against infections. Foods which contain lots of vitamin A are beef liver, sweet potato, spinach, pumpkin and carrots.
Vitamin E
Acts as an antioxidant and may improve immune function. You can get more vitamin E from consuming foods like peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, green vegetables (e.g. broccoli) and fortified cereals.
Vitamin D
Make sure your getting enough sun as vitamin D plays a role in supporting T-cells which fight off pathogens in our body.
Beta carotene
Helps to increase the number of immune cells and their activity. Found in foods like sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, mango, broccoli and tomatoes.
Zinc
Helps keep the immune system strong. Good sources of zinc are beef, seafood, beans, nuts.
Probiotics
Promotes the production of natural antibodies. Fermented foods such as Greek yogurt, feta cheese, kimchi and kombucha.
Protein
As protein forms the building blocks of every cell in our body, our immune system relies on our protein to produce immune cells. Good sources of protein are milk, yoghurt, chicken, eggs, beef, seeds, nuts, lentils.

If you need nutritional help and guidance, make an appointment to see our friendly dietitians. We would love to help you, reach your health and nutritional goals. Call us today on (07) 3891 6199 or send us an email on [email protected].

Get more tips for improving immunity

Learn how to eat healthy and be at your best over Winter.

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