A plant-based diet underpins the health of those
who live longest. Beans, legumes and pulses (such as lentils and chickpeas) are
the most important dietary predictor of longevity. From another study, it was
found that those who ate a handful of nuts at least five times a week lived two
to three years longer than those who did not eat any nuts.
“What we eat is very important in terms of
how our immune system responds to pathogens and how well it can defend itself
against a pathogen,” said Dr. Simin Meydani, senior scientist and leader of the
nutritional immunology team at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer USDA Human
Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
“There isn’t any one food or nutrient to
rely on here, but rather it is the interplay of ‘harmonious interactions’
between the various micronutrients,” said Stanford School of Medicine nutrition
scientist Christopher Gardner.
Thus a large variety of foods are needed to
provide the micronutrients the body needs to mount a robust cellular immune
response. Micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B complex,
zinc and selenium can help “pump up” the body’s defenses against colds, flu and
even Covid-19, Meydani said.
Hence, we need to plan our daily menus around a
large variety of fresh and colorful red, yellow, orange, blue and green fruits
and vegetables, along with some high-quality whole grains and nuts, a bit of
lean protein and a splash of healthy oils.
If you want to maximize the impact of food on
your immune system, you will need to dramatically increase the amount of fruits
and vegetables you eat each day, Meydani says.
On the other hand, eating a lot of unhealthy,
“ultraprocessed”, fat-laden foods, sugary drinks and red and processed meats
may shorten your life – just a 10% increase in such foods was significantly
associated with a 14% higher risk of death from all causes, studies have shown.
A 2017 study found a significant reduction in
the risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer and early death by eating 10 portions
of fruit and vegetables each day. Meanwhile, the study found that one in five
deaths globally – that is about 11 million people –occurred because of too much
sodium and a lack of whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds.
In fact, chronic inflammation has been linked in
studies to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s
and many other diseases. A certain amount of inflammatory response is
needed to get rid of the pathogens and to help the body’s immune system perform
its function. In this aspect, you can choose leafy greens, tomatoes, fruits,
nuts, fatty fish and olive oil – foods that can support a healthy inflammatory
response. Studies are also finding that fermented foods such as kimchi,
sauerkraut or kombucha may also help battle some types of inflammation by
improving the microbiome in the digestive system. In addition, tea brewed from
local rosemary, wild sage and dandelion are known to have anti-inflammatory
properties.
Mushrooms, particularly shiitake, contain more
than 100 compounds with immune-protecting properties. Selenium in seafood,
meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, breads, cereals, and nuts, especially
Brazil nuts, also plays an important role in inflammation and immunity while ginger's
golden cousin is a powerful anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
agent.
Meanwhile, vitamin E plays a dual role in
boosting the body’s immune response. It acts as an antioxidant in the body,
helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals and also can
have an anti-inflammatory effect. Some of the best sources for vitamin E are vegetable
oils like sunflower and safflower; peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds; seeds; and
wheat germ.
Peppers are rich in vitamins, especially vitamin
C.
In addition to eating well, it is important to
stay at a healthy weight, reduce your stress, get quality sleep and regular
exercise to keep those natural defenses in fighting shape.
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