Your Immune System ...

A Healthy Immune System is a joy...

A strong immune system will combat disease on a daily basis, providing it is well supported.

But, stimulants such as tea, coffee and alcohol, recreational and prescription drugs, as well as pollution, will promote the production of free radicals.

Foods rich in antioxidant nutrients, vitamins A, C, E, and the minerals zinc and selenium are needed to combat free radicals and are found in fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.

When you have an infection make sure that you eat lots of raw and lightly steamed vegetables, because they help your immune system fight harmful pathogens.

To ensure that you also get adequate carbohydrate and protein, plan meals to include lentils, wholegrain bread and brown rice, which are also good sources of minerals that will help boost your immunity.

The fruit and vegetables listed below are ideal, as they contain high levels of antioxidants to help combat damage by free radicals. In addition, they have strong antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, as well as being natural antibiotics.

Vitamins Enrich Your Immune System....

Drink them... Eat them.. Boost your vitamin intake..

Vitamin C ... is perhaps the most important vitamin for the health of the immune system. It has potent antiviral properties, which is important because viruses, even when dormant, have been shown to undermine immunity. Its role as a support for interferon.

Vitamin C is also antibacterial: it detoxifies bacteria and prevents them from replicating. In addition, it is essential for the process of disarming and devouring invading pathogens, carried out by the immune cells, which stimulate the production of specific antibodies. This process is enhanced by the presence of zinc.

The important, positive effects that vitamin C has on immunity must not be underestimated. When the immune system is undermined, it is critically important to meet the increased need for this vital nutrient.

When in good health, an adult needs 1000-3000mg per day of vitamin C. This requirement can double or treble when the immune system is compromised. The body cannot manufacture its own vitamin C, so it must obtain an adequate supply each day through diet and nutritional supplements.

Rich natural sources of Vitamin C include kiwi fruit, strawberries, watermelon and sweet potatoes. If your diet contains plenty of fruit and vegetables, you should be getting enough vitamin C.

However, if you drink a lot of alcohol, smoke, are under a lot of stress or at a time when your immune system needs particular support, the Vitamin C provided by your food may require additional supplementation.

To gauge whether your body has reached its limit of vitamin C; use the bowel tolerance test. If diarrhoea occurs, it indicates that the cells have been flooded with vitamin C, and the dose should be cut back by half.

Vitamin A ... The immune system needs adequate vitamin A in order to function well as it has potent antiviral properties. Plentiful amounts exist in red and yellow fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, peaches and pumpkin; also green vegetables such as broccoli. Hard cheese, eggs and liver are also good providers of Vitamin A.

Pregnant women should not take vitamin A supplements, or eat liver, unless advised to do so by their doctor.

Vitamin B6 ... Your white cells ability to eat up offending pathogens is enhanced by vitamin B6. Your thymus gland requires good levels of B6.

Food sources include brown rice, brewer's yeast and green vegetables.

Zinc ... The thymus gland requires zinc to manufacture the T-cells that fight pathogens entering the body. Zinc is also needed to encourage the T-cells towards active maturity.

Magnesium ... This vital mineral is often lacking from the diet. In the context of immunity, magnesium is involved in the synthesis of complement and is essential in ensuring proper thymus function.

Magnesium is also required for the formation of prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds found in all tissues) and for controlling histamine levels.

Magnesium is found in dark green vegetables, fish, soya beans, fresh nuts and seeds such as sesame and pumpkin seeds.