Ever wondered what saves you from fatal diseases, pathogen attacks, and allergies? Well, it’s your immune system. From fighting disease-causing germs to acting fast against cancer cells, the immune system ensures that your body is a healthy abode for your organs.
Catching a cold often or being more prone to infections can be exhausting. It not only hampers your quality of life but can seriously affect your overall health.
If infections refuse to leave your side and keep returning every now and then, it’s time to act and boost your immunity.
What are some ways to boost your immune system? Why are white blood cells important? We will explain this and more. Let’s get started!
What Is The Role Of White Blood Cells
No part of your body is immune from the immune system’s surveillance. You might think, “That’s a lot of areas to cover! It must require enormous resources”.
The answer is: through white blood cells! And guess what? It already ensures a large production of those.
WBCs are produced from the stem cells in the bone marrow and are found in blood and lymph tissue. After briefing and rigorous training, they finally embark on their mission to patrol the body, discover disruptions, and eliminate the menace-causing agent.
There are five types of white blood cells present in the body
Each with a different target to accomplish:
Neutrophils act as early responders and are responsible for killing local viruses with “shoot-on-sight orders.”
Lymphocytes: these cells work in the adaptive immunity department. Consider this: you had measles, and you recovered. Your immune system creates a memory of this response, and if it faces the same pathogen in the future, it will be able to retaliate better.
Monocytes: Another set of early responders, which are daunted with the task of antigen presentation, which means: boosting the immune response by showing antigens on its surface to the other immune cells.
And lastly, Basophils and Eosinophils, which launch a full-scale attack against pathogens and are crucial for the defense mechanism and prevention of allergies.
If you want to put up a tough fight against pathogens and skip the flu and infections
Then this is your cue to rush to your nearest grocery store and make some healthy food choices.
While no particular food can single-handedly be credited to improving immune function, its potential positive effects can still boost your immunity by increasing white blood cell production and fighting inflammation.
Here are the superfoods that help increase white blood cells count:
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruit, and limes are rich sources of vitamin C, which makes them a perfect choice for boosting your immune system.
How? Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that supports various cellular functions of both innate and adaptive immune systems.
We already know how the adaptive system works, but what about the innate immune system? Well, it is the first line of defense, and it involves setting up barricades to prevent any harmful substance from entering the body.
Did you know? Your body has vast epithelial surfaces, especially in the form of airways, which provide extensive exposure to a variety of microorganisms. These microbes can cause widespread destruction by inhibiting cell growth or promoting excessive cell growth, altering cell differentiation patterns, and blocking regular cell processes. And with years of evolution, pathogens have also evolved new ways to survive inside the host’s body, making it difficult for your immune system to tackle the invaders.
However, an immunity booster like vitamin C comes to the rescue. Vitamin C in citrus fruits aids in the epithelial barrier against these pathogens. It also promotes free radical scavenging activity of the skin, which protects you against environmental oxidative stress.
It also accumulates and triggers white blood cells to get into action mode and activate their microbial-killing functions.
For an average adult, daily requirements for vitamin C range from 100 to 200mg daily.
If you struggle to include foods with a good source of Vitamin C, supplementation can help prevent and treat respiratory infections, which explains why most people are insane about consuming it during colds and flu.
Garlic
As a popular medicinal plant in many different parts of the world, garlic has a reputation for keeping diseases at bay.
It boosts your immune system by fighting infection-causing germs.
In Chinese and Indian traditional cultures, it has been known to treat parasitic infestations.
Studies have shown that a high concentration of a sulfur-rich compound called allicin in garlic is responsible for its anti-microbial effects.
A large number of studies have established its therapeutic and preventive roles. It also shows anti-tumor effects as it scavenges the free radicals and reduces the oxidative stress associated with cancer causation.
The protein-rich component of garlic is responsible for stimulating the white blood cells in your body to act right quickly and enhance your cellular responses, thus boosting your immune reactions.
And guess what? It even increases WBC production, further increasing numbers and strengthening your army of healthy immune cells that can easily deal with pathogenic infestations.
It also regulates cytokine production (a protein responsible for inflammation), which justifies its therapeutic roles in inflammation-related disorders such as IBD or inflammatory bowel disease.
So, try adding garlic to your dishes and, along with savoring its medical benefits, add that zing taste to your meals.
Green Tea
Here’s some happy news for all green tea lovers: it boosts your immunity and prevents infections.
Enriched with flavonoids and polyphenols, which make up 30% of its dry weight, green tea helps fight degenerative diseases and sort out other health issues such as weight management.
It is a powerful immunity-boosting tool, rich in compounds known as catechins which are good in warding off influenza viruses.
Studies have shown that catechins called ECGC or epigallocatechin gallate is responsible for immunological modulation which makes green tea quite effective against microbial attacks. It is helpful in preventing oxidative stress and thus has anti-cancer effects.
It also contains a vital amino acid called L-theanine, which improves the production of fighting units of your immune system, aka the white blood cells.
So go ahead! Make yourself a brewing cup of green tea and enjoy enhanced immunity.
Nuts
What’s better than ready-to-eat food, which hardly requires you to spare extra time? All you have to do is, grab some cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, and walnuts and enjoy them on the go.
Nuts and seeds are nutrient-dense and power-packed sources of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which are known to boost your immune system.
Studies show that foods rich in vitamin E exhibit exceptional anti-oxidant properties and help stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are essential for a robust immune response and fighting off infections.
It plays a regulatory role in cellular mechanisms, signal transmission between various immune cells, and mediates with inflammatory intermediaries.
A cumulative result of various studies has also shown that vitamin E deficiency can hamper the regular functioning of your immune system. In contrast, its supplementation has helped avoid that situation and boosted immunity responses in individuals.
So this is your cue to include nuts in your snacks, bread spreads, garnishing dishes, or perhaps your favorite ice cream toppings.
Ginger
Yes! Ginger is a South-East Asian-originated spice or condiment that not only adds flavor to your food and makes it mouth-watering but also has wide-ranging health benefits.
Its anti-inflammatory properties help treat nausea, sore throat, and mild colds. You can add it to your freshly brewed tea and savor its soothing nature. The teeny-tiny components called gingerols are the actual secret behind its warmth and comfort.
In ancient cultures, medical practitioners have repeatedly focussed on discovering new herbs that boost your immunity. And it is no surprise that with its exceptional medicinal benefits, ginger would high-headedly live up to their expectations.
But what makes it so unique? Gingerols, shogaol, and other structurally related substances such as paradols and zingerone can be credited for their immunity-elevating roles.
Evidence suggests these potent compounds can have amazing effects when fighting allergies, making them an effective ingredient to help prevent and deal with infectious diseases.
Studies have established its cancer-fighting potential because of its capability to scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, which often leads to DNA damage.
Another study demonstrated its preventive role in acute liver injury by inhibiting cytokine production.
Ginger’s curative effects also extend to diseases like Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s, AIDS, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and even septic shocks, a life-threatening condition in which your blood pressure drops to dangerous levels after infection.
A variety of vitamins and nutrients is the key to proper nutrition. You cannot count on only one of the foods mentioned above to explicitly boost your immunity. However, including them, along with other nutrient-dense foods, will definitely promote a strong and functional immune system. So pay attention to your meals, including more healthy choices, experiment, meal plan, and you’ll be good to go.
