The immune system is the most complex of our systems, being present everywhere in the body and weighing as a whole, between 1.5 and 2 kilograms. It is in fact the one who fulfills the role of an equipment for the defense of the body’s health, rejecting millions of threats every day.
How does your immune system work?
Think of the immune system as the gateway to your body. It serves as protection against any foreign substances (such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi) that can enter your body and cause damage / illness.
Here’s how it works: The immune system is a vast network of organs, proteins, and cells – such as skin, bone marrow, thymus, blood, and mucous membranes – that work simultaneously interconnected to distinguish healthy cells from diseased ones or substances. external, foreign molecules.
How? When a germ enters your body, the immune system receives signals that something is not right. From there, it responds by sending white blood cells (or immune cells) – to attack and destroy anything that is interpreted as risky or dangerous.
Garlic
Garlic is one of the best natural antibiotics, can be used in any dish, helps prevent common colds, prevents gastrointestinal diseases. It contains a compound called allicin, a volatile sulfur oil that stops the growth and multiplication of bacteria, fungi and stimulates the flow of digestive enzymes. In a British study, it was found that people who consumed garlic extract for 12 weeks cooled less than the reference group.
Other research suggests that garlic lovers who consume more than six cloves of garlic a week have a 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer.
Mushrooms
Due to their extremely high content of selenium and antioxidants, mushrooms are a formidable enemy of colds, their consumption having antiviral, antibacterial and anti-tumor effects. At the same time, high levels of vitamin B play an essential role in keeping immunity at maximum levels.
For a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended to eat a wide variety of foods, reduce the consumption of saturated fats, sugar, salt and alcohol, quit smoking, exercise and get enough sleep.
Chicken Soup
Researchers at the University of Nebraska have found that chicken broth blocks the migration of inflammatory cells – an important finding because cold symptoms are a response to cell buildup in the bronchial airways. The amino acid cysteine, released by chicken meat during cooking, chemically resembles acetylcysteine, a drug used to treat bronchitis, which may explain the results. The slightly salted concentrated soup also keeps the mucus thin, just like cough medicines do. Added spices, such as garlic and onions, can increase the potency of stimulating the soup’s immunity.
Sweet potatoes
You may not imagine that your skin is part of your immune system. But this crucial organ, which covers an impressive 16 square meters, serves as a front-line fortress against bacteria, viruses and other pathogenic microorganisms. To stay strong and healthy, your skin needs vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a major role in the production of connective tissue, a key component of the skin. One of the best ways to introduce vitamin A into your diet is to foods that contain beta-carotene (which gives them an orange pigment), such as sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin.
Eggs
You already know that vitamin D is important for your bones because it helps you absorb calcium properly, but it is also essential for a healthy immune system. In fact, vitamin D deficiency or deficiency (affecting about 42 percent of the population) can increase the chances of upper respiratory infections and even autoimmune disorders / diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and Crohn’s disease, research shows. Why? Scientists have found that immune cells actually have vitamin D receptors, which are important for regulating the body’s natural defense mechanisms.
While solar vitamin is harder to obtain in the cold season you have the diet alternative. Foods rich in vitamin D, such as eggs, fish and beef, or even cereals and milk fortified with vitamin D, can help you meet your daily intake. The recommended dose is at least 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D for most adults daily, but many other accredited organizations suggest even higher doses.
Fatty fish
Salmon, mackerel and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, increase airflow and protect the lungs from colds and respiratory infections. An animal study also found that the nutrient omega-3 can help eliminate various strains of the flu. Salmon is also another great source of vitamin D.
Kale
Along with orange foods, dark green foods and leaves, such as kale, are an excellent way to increase your vitamin A intake and strengthen your immune system.
Yogurt
Probiotics, or live active cultures found in yogurt, are healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract safe from pathogens. Although probiotic supplements are available, a study from the University of Vienna found that a daily dose of yogurt was just as effective at boosting the immune system as probiotic pills / capsules.
