Nutrition And The Immune System

What do some people get colds every year and other’s don’t? Why do some people contract HIV but never succumb to AIDS? Why are there always a few people in the midst of a disease outbreak who do not get sick? Each individual makes lifestyle choices, the foods they eat, their environment, and genetic makeup combine to determine immunity.

We mentioned in an earlier article that food can have a big effect on how healthy the body’s immune system is. The type of foods you eat can either weaken or strengthen your body’s immune system, and this in turn will affect your overall health levels. If you have a disease such as HIV or Diabetes, your body’s immune system is already weak, so you must take steps to help make it stronger and more balanced. Everyone can benefit health wise from having a stronger immune system though, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is through the foods we choose to eat.

The human body is very much like a fine tuned machine. And when there is a problem somewhere in that human machine, the effects can be seen in ways that might seem completely unrelated. The fact is though, that everything we do to our bodies, and everything we choose to put in them, will have drastic effects on how well – or badly – the entire machine operates.

And the basis for the human body to work properly is nutrition. The body needs a large variety of vitamins, nutrients, minerals and other essential ingredients every single day. There are more vitamins than most of us can name, and there are also trace minerals and other nutrients we need too. Most importantly, we need the interaction of the full spectrum of fiber, phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins. Our plates should be a rainbow of color because that is where the most nutrition lies.

Just by choosing the foods which are known to be packed with a large variety of the nutritional elements we need, we can help supply what the body needs naturally. Instead of feeding ourselves vitamins and minerals that will keep our immune system strong and help us fight off diseases, we fill the body with junk that it must work extra hard trying to clear out. And since the body is so busy trying to clear out the junk we’ve given it, we’re more susceptible to germs and viruses which cause a wide variety of health problems.

So the number one way to boost your body’s own immune system is to simply change the way you eat. Reduce the amount of sugar and simple carbohydrates you’re eating, because these are useless nutritionally for the body. Add more fresh vegetables and fruits, particularly raw ones, and add in some whole grains, good protein and fats too.

Resources: Balance My Immune System

How will you use this information to the fullest?