Our immune system is crucial to keeping us safe and well, and now with the threat of Covid-19, it’s worth taking time to reflect on what we can do to try and protect ourselves from viruses, bacteria and other pathogens which can affect our health. Reviewing what we eat is a really good place to start! Small changes to our dietary intake can make a big difference and it’s relatively easy for everyone to do. My approach is about tweaking your existing food intake to increase nutrient density and variation, rather than denying you of any particular food!
Eat a balanced plate for every meal
Every meal should include protein, some of the more starchy (high GL) vegetables, and plenty of the less starchy (low GL) vegetables. Then dress your plate with nuts, seeds and oils to give yourself some healthy fats. This will give you a great range of macro (carbs, proteins and fats) and micro nutrients (vitamins and minerals), and lots of beneficial fibre. The nutrients which are particularly helpful for immune support are listed below. The balanced plate also helps to keep the acid/alkaline status of the body balanced – too much acidity can promote inflammation and stimulate the immune system unnecessarily.
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This plate can also help to balance mood, it will give you an abundance of gut friendly foods and may help with weight management.
Zinc
Zinc helps to modulate our immune response. It is required to manufacture our white blood cells, part of our army of soldiers which help to fight off foreign invaders. It is good for the health of our mucuous membranes, which are our first line of defence eg in the mouth, digestive tract, gut and lungs – when we ingest pathogens through either inhalation or eating, the cells in these mucosal layers can deal with these foreign bodies, stopping them in their tracks. Go for oysters, crab, lobster, beef, lamb, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, chickpeas, lentils and quinoa.
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Zinc is also required to make antioxidants within the body, which help neutralise free radicals. These are molecules produced when the body breaks down food or if we’re exposed to toxins and pollution, and they can cruise round the body causing chaos and can make us feel toxic and unwell.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions in the body – it helps to neutralise free radicals and modulate immune function. Rich sources of preformed vitamin A include liver, fish, cheese and eggs. Red, yellow and orange fruits and veg contain provitamin A – beta carotene which gets converted to vitamin A in the body.
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Eating vitamin A rich foods with fat will optimise the body’s absorption of vitamin A.
Vitamin D
The functioning of our immune cells (white blood cells) is highly dependent on vitamin D, which we can get from mushrooms, eggs, salmon, sardines, cows milk, tuna, oily fish and butter. We should also aim for at least 20 minutes of sunshine every day, ideally before noon. Mushrooms contain beta glucans which can enhance immune function.
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Our ability to convert vitamin D reduces with age so the older population may be at greater risk of deficiency.
Vitamin C
Another powerful antioxidant, vitamin C will help neutralise any destructive molecules and also has anti-viral qualities. Go for berries, oranges, pineapple, red peppers, beetroot, brussels sprouts and broccoli.
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It’s better to eat a whole orange rather than to drink a glass of freshly squeezed juice – the fibre content supports a healthy gut. A healthy gut is key to optimising absorption of the nutrients from the food we eat. Poor absorption (and low dietary intake) may mean we are deprived of the necessary nutrients to make our immune cells.
Fats
Fats give stiffness, structure and elasticity to all cells in the body, and ideally we want our cell walls to be fluid enough to allow nutrients in, but firm enough to keep toxins and pathogens out. So the quality of fat we eat is key to maintaining this gatekeeping function and protecting us from attack. Elasticity of our cells is also crucial for strong immune defence – when under attack, our blood vessels and arteries widen so our army of soldiers can quickly get to the pathogen and quarantine and attack it. Omega 3 has anti inflammatory qualities and can be found in meats and dairy, wild caught oily fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardines, herring), flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, green leafy veg. We also need omega 6 – these two polyunsaturated fats work in synergy to modulate immune function and the inflammatory response: vegetable and seed oils, eggs, beef, poultry, pork, liver, farmed fish. Saturated fats also play an important role and are a valuable source of vitamins A and D: butter, ghee, dairy, meat, coconut oil. Monounsaturated fats are also rich in the antioxidant vitamin E and can be found in olives, olive oil, avocado, sesame nuts, nut butters abd seeds.
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Omega 3 and omega 6 are also called essential fatty acids; this is because the body does not synthesise these important fats and we can only get them from dietary intake.
Herbs and Spices
The anti-microbial qualities of these foods means they help protect us from viruses, bacteria and other foreign invaders. Antiviral herbs include: astragalus and cat’s claw – to boost the body’s defence against viruses; andrographis – to treat viral infections, particularly of the upper respiratory tract; elderberry – to help cleanse the body of viral infections like flu and common cold; dried ginger root – to prevent and decrease duration of the common cold; olive leaf – to treat flu, common cold and herpes; dried oregano leaf, cranberry, dried lemon balm leaf, licorice root and mullein. Antibacterial herbs include calendula, cinnamon, dried clove bud, garlic, echinacea, usnea, uva ursi and yarrow. You can take these as teas, infusions or infused oils. And when cooking, use plentiful amounts of fresh ginger, chilli, turmeric, cumin, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme.
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Coconut and honey are also potent antimicrobials. Use coconut oil to cook with – more stable than olive oil at high temperatures, it won’t oxidise and cause damaging free radicals.
Medications
Some medications can impact on the functioning of our immune system. Steroids, often used in the treatment of autoimmune conditions, are designed to suppress the immune system, which can potentially leave you vulnerable. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen/nurofen) can be corrosive to the gut lining which can impact on absorption of nutrients. PPIs eg omeprazole, are designed to reduce production of hydrochloric acid but this plays a key role in both breaking down our food to release nutrients, and killing off any food borne pathogens. Antibiotics can alter the balance of bacteria in the gut, which can lead to other gut issues such as leaky gut, infections and ultimately, compromised absorption.
Look after your gut
Acid produced in the digestive tract not only breaks down our food to release the nutrients, but it also kills pathogens, along with the antibodies produced in our gut, eradicating them before they can cause harm to organs and systems. The bacteria in our gut (the microbiome) also produce and help us absorb nutrients as well as keeping pathogens in check. The microbiome can get very easily disrupted! Smoking, diets high in refined sugars and trans fats and low in fibre, medications, pathogens, alcohol can all upset that delicate balance of bacteria. A balanced plate will support the microbiome by delivering a plentiful supply of fibre, which has a prebiotic effect – it feeds our friendly gut bacteria. You can also eat probiotic foods (food containing live bacteria) – “live” yogurt, fermented foods (kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut), unpastuerised cheeses.
What about your genes?
Genetics play a powerful role in how well we can fight off bacterial and viral infections. You may eat a very healthy diet which incorporates a multitude of immune boosting foods, however, quirks in our genes may be responsible for preventing us from utilising or optimising the nutrients we are consuming. We can only know if we have functional disorders by doing clinical tests. The knowledge we gain from testing also enables us to plan for future good health and take preventative steps to protect ourselves in later life. Please refer to my website for the range of tests available for immune health.
Disclaimer:
I am not able to recommend or endorse any products, tests or brands, or comment on dosages of supplements, in a generic setting. If you are pregnant or taking medications, please seek advice from your GP/healthcare provider, myself or another nutritionist before making dietary changes or taking supplements, in case of any adverse reactions. Do not stop taking any medications prescribed to you without first consulting your GP. If you intend to purchase herbal preparations and tinctures, I would strongly advise that you only purchase these through a qualified herbalist. Information contained in this paper is to be used as a guide only, it is not exhaustive and it applies to a generic setting only. Please get in touch by email or telephone if you would like bespoke nutrition and health advice.
18th May 2020
Joanna Plant Bsc Hons DipCNM mBANT CNHC
www.yourhealthtests.co.uk www.joannaplant.co.uk
Mobile: 07867 970123
Email: joanna@joannaplant.co.uk
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