Health Hotline Magazine | September 2024

A Healthy Diet is Vital for Immune Competence

First, consider this: Regular consumption of ultra-pro cessed foods leads to immune dysfunction via an increase in oxidative stress, inflammation, and intestinal dysbiosis (70 80% of immune cells are located in the gut). No surprise there, right? Like every other cell in your body, the immune system’s cells, from lymphocytes to natural killer cells, depend on good nutrition for optimal functioning, and processed foods are not it. Avoiding processed foods loaded with added sugar, inflammatory oils, refined carbohydrates, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives and devoid of any real nutrition is vital to support immune competence. Instead, look to a whole-foods diet of organic fruit and vegetables, regen

eratively raised and organic meat, pasture-based dairy, and organic whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. These foods are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that nourish your immune system, preparing it to quickly and effectively jump into action when needed. Another way to build immune competence is to eat a variety of fermented foods to support a healthy gut, because, as mentioned, a majority of immune cells reside in

our guts, and dysbiosis (an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria) is a main driver of immune dysfunction. A recent trial from Stanford School of Medicine, including 36 healthy adults, found that 10 weeks of regularly consuming fermented foods like yogurt, fermented cottage cheese, kimchi and other fermented vegetables, and kombucha increased microbial di versity in the gut, reduced inflammation, and improved immune responses, with stronger effects seen with larger servings. Eat your ferments!

Specific Nutrients to Support Immune Competence The supplements listed below are foundational nutrients that the immune system requires to function properly; they should be taken regularly to support immune competence. This doesn’t mean that you won’t get sick, but a healthy, competent immune system is more resilient and better able to handle an infection, lessening symptoms, severity, and duration. Vitamin C . Vitamin C is a key player in immunity and it is required by a number of critical immune cells, including white blood cells and natural killer cells, to function properly. It has an impact on both innate and acquired immune responses against infection. Because the human body cannot make vitamin C and this important antioxidant is severely depleted by inflammation, stress, and illness, as well as being water soluble, meaning the body does not store it, vitamin C is a great nutrient to supplement. Additionally, vitamin C is similar in structure to glucose and uses the same receptor sites to enter the cell mem brane—this means that if you eat a lot of sugar and simple carbs, less vitamin C will be absorbed because glucose is “hogging” the receptors sites. The key is to maintain optimal levels. Take: 500-1,000 mg daily for maintenance. This may be increased up to 6,000 mg daily, in divided doses, during times of infection. Vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a central role in proper immune function and is required by our bodies to make a va riety of germ-fighting factors, such as the important antimicrobial compound cathelicidin. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of viral infections, such as influenza, pneumonia related to viral infections, and acute respiratory tract infections. Researchers have noted that the winter and early-spring increase in viral infections appears directly related to less seasonal sun exposure and low vitamin D levels, and that those with low vitamin D levels tend to have more serious complications from viral infections like the flu. Take: 5,000 IU daily for adults, and up to 1,200 IU daily for children.

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