Nutrition boosts your immunity

Immunity is the buzzword of 2020, thanks to the prevailing pandemic. Here are some basics that can help you build your immunity.

Immunity is the ability of an organism to resist an infection or toxin with specific antibodies or sensitised blood cells. This means your body contains adequate defences to fight infection, allergy or any form of invasion.

The first line of defence comes from the skin, mucus membrane, acid in the stomach, sweat, tears and immune cells that attack all foreign cells that enter the body. This is called innate immunity. Acquired or adaptive immunity, on the other hand, is learnt by the body. When a foreign substance enters your body, the immune cells that are specific to that harmful substance attack and destroy it.

There are natural and lifestyle causes for a reduction in immunity. Age is a natural cause. As you grow older, your immune system becomes less able.

A diet that is high in refined foods, ultra-processed foods, sugar, trans fat, and low in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, can result in chronic inflammation of the gut and suppress immunity.

Many nutrients play a role in building and maintaining immune health.

Vitamin A is found in yellow/orange coloured fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, organ meat. Examples – mango, papaya, carrot, pumpkin, amaranth leaves, drumstick leaves, liver, egg yolk.

Vitamin C is found in Indian gooseberry (amla), guava, citrus fruits, leafy greens, coloured peppers. Examples – orange, lemon, sweet lime, drumstick leaves, parsley, green capsicum.

Vitamin D is in sunlight, fish, egg yolk, fortified milk. Vitamin E – nuts such as almonds.

Vitamin B6 is in meats, seeds, whole grains. Examples – fish, egg yolk, chicken, brown rice, maize, wheat germ, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds. Vitamin B12 is in animal foods. Examples – fish, meat, egg, milk.

Folate comes from leafy greens, whole grains. Examples – colocasia leaves, spinach, parsley, maize, pearl millet (bajra), foxtail millet, channa, horse gram, field beans. Zinc comes from seeds, dals, meats. Examples – amaranth seeds, sesame seeds, channa dal, urad dal, poultry, mutton. Iron is in dry fruits, pulses, dark green leafy vegetables. Examples – dry dates, black currants, horse gram, soybean, fenugreek leaves, coriander leaves, curry leaves, mint leaves. Selenium is in millets, pulses, leafy greens, papaya, egg, chicken. Examples – pearl millet (bajra), little millet, rajma, beet greens, mustard leaves, radish leaves, curry leaves, mint leaves.

Protein comes from pulses, dals, dairy, nuts, seeds, egg, meats. Examples – channa, rajma, tur dal, moong dal, milk, curd, almonds, chia seeds, chicken, fish.

Bioactive molecules present in spices are involved in immunity and regulation of inflammation. Some of the common spices that play a role in maintaining immunity are turmeric, onion, garlic, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, chillies and capsicum.

Nutrition experts and organisations have always advocated well-balanced meals. A balanced meal provides all the necessary nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fat, fibre), which are derived from natural food sources like cereals, millets, pulses, dals, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, fats and oils, eaten in the right proportion.

Exercise influences the functioning of the immune system. It is believed that prolonged periods of intense exercise can depress immunity and lead to inflammation, but regular moderate-intensity exercise is beneficial as it reduces inflammation.

In a nutshell, follow a healthy lifestyle to maintain immune health – eat a well-balanced diet, sleep 7-8 hours daily, exercise for 45-60 minutes daily, include small bursts of physical activity throughout the day, cut stress and get direct sunlight on your skin daily.

(The writer is a nutrition and wellness consultant)