Natural Ways To Strengthen Your Immunity And Health

A broad spectrum of nutrients is associated with strengthening your immune system and boasting your health, but today, I will concentrate on five key nutrients: namely, zinc, flaxseed, vitamin D, turmeric and vitamin C. Zinc First on the list is zinc, considered an antiviral powerhouse by many. After iron, zinc is the second-most abundant trace metal in the human body, and plays an essential role in cellular growth and development. Zinc is well known to have strong antiviral properties, helping the body to fight against numerous viruses and pathogens. Certain studies have also shown that zinc supplementation can decrease the rate of acute lower respiratory infections by 45% (Shankar and Prasad, 1998: 448S). Unfortunately, zinc deficiency is relatively common, particularly in developing countries and in elderly people, with one of the main issues associated with zinc deficiency being a depressed immune system. In fact, even a mild zinc deficiency is thought to have a significant detrimental impact on your immunity in many ways. Good dietary sources of zinc include shellfish, meat and dairy foods such as cheese. Flaxseed One of the most interestingly aspects of flaxseed is that it contains a compound that could potential help counter certain respiratory diseases. Flaxseed contains a flavanol called herbacetin, which certain research indicates may have antiviral properties against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (or SARS), a respiratory disease which broke out in China in 2002 and is part of the coronavirus family. A 2019 study suggests that herbacetin can inhibit 3C-like protease (3CLpro) in SARS, with it being relatively widely considered that inhibiting 3C-like protease is a key strategy in blocking the viral replication of SARS. Flaxseed also has an array of other benefits, including being a source of fiber and of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (or ALA). This omega-3 is thought to play a positive role in brain development, working in concert with two other types of omega-3 fatty acids which are found mainly in fish, docosahexaenoic acid (or DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (or EPA). Vitamin D Getting sufficient amounts of vitamin D is crucial for human health, with research indicating that vitamin D plays a prominent role in stimulating antimicrobial and antiviral defenses in the body (Cannell et al. 2006: 1132). Vitamin D is thought to be important for respiratory health, as certain studies have found some association between vitamin D deficiency and higher rates of respiratory infections in children (Cannell et al. 2006: 1134). The nutrient is also critical for healthy bones, as it helps the body absorb more calcium and phosphate. With sufficient levels of vitamin D, humans can absorb 30 to 40 percent of calcium through the intestine, whereas absorption drops to only 10 or 15 percent with vitamin D deficiency. Interestingly, vitamin D also seems to play a key role in regulating the immune systems response to pathogens, ensuring that the body does not release too many inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that end up becoming detrimental to health and recovery (Cannell et al. 2006: 1132).

Vitamin D can be found in some foods, including red meat, egg yolks and oily fish (including salmon, sardines and mackerel). Sunlight one of the best sources of vitamin D however. Although there are many types of vitamin D, the natural form is produced in the skin when ultraviolet B (or UVB) energy from the sun hits the skin and converts a precursor into vitamin D3. This D3 is then transported to the liver and then onto the kidneys, when it is transformed into active vitamin D. The problem is that in many countries, sunlight does not contain enough UVB radiation for your body to make enough vitamin D in the winter months or between October and early March. It should be noted that sitting behind glass isn’t an effective way to get vitamin D from the sun, as glass blocks UVB rays from hitting your skin. Researchers in America have found that a shocking amount of people are deficient in this crucial nutrient, including 57% of hospitalized patients and more than of a third of people aged between 18 and 29. Harvard Medical School notes that supplementation is often required to get enough vitamin D, particularly during winter months. Curcumin from Turmeric Another way to strengthen your health is through the use of turmeric, which contains a natural polyphenol called curcumin. Curcumin is associated with numerous health benefits, including having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin have been associated with helping many health issues, including reducing pain in arthritis patients. Results from a 2009 study on mice indicate that curcumin could be effective at reducing airway inflammation caused by the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae (or NTHi), which is common in people who have an inflammatory lung disease called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD). In addition to these benefits, curcumin has been shown to help support recovery after exercise. One problem with curcumin is that it has low bioavailability, meaning it is difficult for your body to actually absorb and utilize it. Certain studies have shown that taking curcumin along with piperine, the active compound in black pepper, can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by as much as 2000 percent. Vitamin C Vitamin C is one of most fundamental nutrients on the planet. As well as being a well-known antioxidant, vitamin C is likely to have strong antiviral properties. A 2013 study on mice indicated that vitamin C can work as an antiviral agent against influenza in the early stages of infection. The study noted however that vitamin C proved effective only when the mice had sufficient amounts of vitamin C prior to being infected, as no positive results were found by giving vitamin C deficient mice the vitamin a day after being infected. One path by which vitamin C seemingly acts as an antiviral agent is through increasing the amount of type I interferons (IFNs), which are part of the body’s immune response.

Vitamin C also appeared to play a role in regulating the immune response of the vitamin C sufficient mice in a way that was not overreactive and counterproductive; whereas deficient mice had hyper-reactive responses, causing higher levels of inflammatory cellular activity that can be harmful. Furthermore, vitamin C deficiency causes various other health issues, including being the cause of the disease scurvy. This is because without vitamin C, humans can’t produce collagen, a critical protein found in skin, bones, blood vessels, cartilage and other connective tissue. Vitamin C can be found in numerous foods, including in broccoli, strawberries, peppers and oranges. Importantly, please beware that taking too high a dose of nutrients can be problematic, so consult the recommended daily allowance and upper safety limits in your country to get an idea of safe levels. Obviously, there are many more ways to improve your health on top of these five key nutrients, including getting good quality sleep, ensuring you are getting optimal amounts of other nutrients, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and avoiding unhealthy foods. Yet these five nutrients are a good starting point that can improve your health.

Source: Insight Health