Ask Dr. Nick
On today’s episode, Dr. Nick talks about the importance of diet and lifestyle in building a robust immune system. Many factors can lead to immunocompromise like stress, low-nutrient diet, hectic lifestyle, overconsumption of alcohol, and being sedentary. All of these will increase the risk of infection and disability in otherwise normal individuals. With focus on nutrition, there are certain micronutrients–Vitamin A, D, C, E, B2, B6, B12, folate, iron, selenium, and zinc–that are important for establishing a strong immune system. These nutrients are important for both the innate (non-specific) and adaptive (specific) branches of the immune system. They are found in higher quantities in specific foods, but the best forms for many are nutrient-rich animal foods like grass-fed butter, egg yolk, red meat, organ meat, and seafood. Besides eating these nutrient-rich foods, it is important to limit the number of processed foods like refined carbohydrates/grains, refined sugar, and refined vegetable oils (canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn oils). Check out the video for more in-depth information on how diet and lifestyle can affect the immune system!
Reference: Maggini S, Pierre A, & Calder PC. Immune Function and Micronutrient Requirements Change over the Life Course. Nutrients 2018, 10, 1531; doi:10.3390/nu10101531
