Did you know that around 90% of people in the US have poor diets that are deficient in many necessary nutrients?
Eating a balanced diet that gives your body all of the different vitamins and minerals that it needs is important to maintaining real health.
When your diet is lacking in crucial foods, your immune system weakens over time and becomes less efficient.
To help you experience real health, here are 7 foods and nutrients that are key to maintaining a healthy immune system.
1. Fermented Foods
Fermented foods play an important role in your gut health.
Because your immune system is directly affected by your gut health, it’s important to eat foods that boost your gut.
This includes foods like:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Kefir
- Miso
- Natto
- Pickles
These foods are great sources of probiotics as well as various minerals and vitamins, and they’re a good place to start if you’re new to fermented foods.
Incorporating a little bit of a fermented food product with your regular meal is an easy way to ensure you’re eating enough probiotics.
2. Magnesium
Magnesium helps keep your muscles relaxed and your heart strong.
This important mineral plays a role in your nerve health as well as supporting strong bones.
Foods that are good sources of magnesium include:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Dark chocolate
- Avocados
- Chia seeds
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Spinach
Eating foods that have magnesium will not just support good immune health; they may also help lower your risk of developing diseases like diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Additionally, eating enough magnesium in your diet will help regulate sleep so that you can sleep better at night.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays many roles in your body.
A powerful antioxidant, this vitamin helps scavenge free radicals and supports healthy blood vessel formation, collagen production, skin health, and more.
While all nutrients are important, vitamin C is pivotal in supporting good health in your body.
You can find abundant amounts of vitamin C in foods like:
- Citrus fruits
- Kiwi fruit
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cherries
- Kale
By incorporating foods that are full of vitamin C, you will support your immune system and help your body be more resilient to the stressors of your everyday life.
4. Zinc
Zinc is an important mineral that supports your immune system and your metabolism.
Your body uses zinc when it needs to heal wounds as well as support the health of your nerves and in neurogenesis, which continues to take place over the course of your whole life.
Good food sources of zinc include:
- Meats
- Oysters
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Seeds
Your body needs zinc every day since it has no way of storing this mineral.
This means that you should include foods that are high in zinc in your daily diet to support optimal health.
5. Vitamin D
Another important vitamin when it comes to the health of your immune system is vitamin D.
This vitamin will also support the health of your bones and help reduce inflammation in your body.
Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, you’re going to find this vitamin in foods with fats in them.
Foods that are good sources of vitamin D include:
- Sardines
- Organic egg yolks
- Tuna
- Oysters
- Mushrooms
- Salmon
While you can find vitamin D in other foods like dairy and fortified food products, these sources may not be the best to support your good health.
Because vitamin D sources tend to be few and specific, it can be beneficial to take a vitamin D supplement to ensure that you’re getting enough of this important vitamin.
6. Omegas
Omegas are a group of fatty acids that support healthy cholesterol formation and good brain health.
Like vitamin D, food sources that contain omegas tend to be fatty in nature.
Good sources of omegas include:
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Fatty fish
- Organic egg yolks
- Walnuts
- Brussel sprouts
Including foods like these is a great way to ensure your diet is well-balanced and your body is getting enough omega-3s.
Because the amounts and the types of omegas found in food vary, it can be a good idea to supplement this nutrient in your diet to ensure you’re getting the right balance of omegas.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a fermented food product that not only helps give your body the probiotics it needs, but is also high in antioxidants.
ACV can help lower the amount of harmful bacteria in your body because of its antimicrobial effect.
This potent vinegar also helps support healthy blood sugar levels as well as boost your immune system.
When choosing apple cider vinegar, it’s important to look for an organic ACV that includes the mother.
The mother is the main culture that turns apple juice into ACV and is filled with beneficial probiotics.
Boost Your Immune Health Today!
Many people have diets that are deficient in the nutrients that their bodies need.
It’s important to look at your own diet and incorporate beneficial foods that support the health of your immune system as well as your overall health.
The foods listed in this article are a good place to start, but they aren’t the only foods your body needs.
For more information on what foods you should include in your diet, as well as which foods you should get rid of, my book will guide you and make the process simple and painless.
Click here to read more articles like this one and explore recipes that are free for you to try out!
