Proper Nutrition For A Healthy Immune System

Your immune system is really your body's private army. It's your own personal group of  'soldiers' that protects you against foreign invaders - an army that's always enrolled for service, and called into duty when needed. Your immune system defends your health by identifying anything foreign - from virus bacteria to parasite - and then aiming to destroy it. And the immune system is very complex - involving multiple lines of defense in the form of proteins, cell, tissues and organs - in the fight against illness.

Eating well is vital to a healthy immune system. For one thing, if you a eat a healthy diet and take care of yourself, you're less likely to get sick - which reduces the need to call your immune system into action in the first place. Key components to that healthy diet are plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, the right amount of healthy protein, and some probiotics - the so-called "good" bacteria that help support digestive health. 

Colorful fruits and vegetables provide an abundance of phytonutrients - natural compounds that are found in all plant foods that help to promote health by serving as antioxidants. Inside the cells of our bodies, oxygen-requiring-or oxidation - processes occur every day as part of normal metabolism. Without oxygen, for example, we would't be able to extract energy from our food. But oxygen has a downside - just as it can cause iron to rust or a cut apple to turn brown, oxidation can cause damage to the body's cells and tissues if left unchecked. This oxidant stress can weaken the body's ability to flight illness. So having plenty of antioxidants around can help reduce this oxidative stress and, in turn, help to support immune function.

Since the antibodies are specialized proteins made by the white cells to protect you, you need adequate protein in the diet to ensure you'll be able to produce the antibodies that you need. Healthy lean proteins - in the form of fish, shellfish, poultry, lean meats, soy foods and low fat dairy products - provide the building blocks that your body needs to manufacture these important antibodies. 

Keeping your digestive system health is also important in supporting immune function. Your digestive tract is home trillions of bacteria that have numerous function in promoting health. Some bacteria help you digest the fiber in your foods, others consume intestinal gas, and some produce vitamins, like vitamin K and vitamin B12. When your system is populated with these "good" bacteria that might enter your digestive tract. Foods that cultured of fermented - like yogurt, kimchi and fermented soybeans - are source of there friendly bacteria, and should be a regular part of a healthy diet.

Eating well really does pave the road to good health. And to help your body in the flight against foreign invaders, your immune system 'army' needs the best nutrition possible. So call in the troops!

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS,RD, CSSD, Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

Nutrition Information from Herbalife-Hub, March 2013.


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Regards,

Herbalife Independent Distributor Malaysia