Immune system - Diet?

A healthy, balanced diet. [/thread]

Sorry, but its the truth.

To be slightly more helpful, I took a 1667% RDA vitamin C suplement every day and I avoided all colds/illness for several months. I stopped taking them and I got ill, agh.
 
Mine always take a dive after long training runs. Best way I keep it topped up is to lay off the booze, make sure I get plenty of sleep, and generally eat well, mimimal junk, fair amount of fruit and veg.
 
SideWinder said:
I understand a healthy, balanced diet helps but surely there is something in particular i should or could look out for? :)
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Not really. The immune system is dependant on a large number of different nutrients. A balance and varied diet will cover pretty much everything you can think of. You can micromanage your food if you are completely obessed, but that would remove the fun from eating. All those sensible things you hear, like eat veg, fruit, good fats, fish. etc, as boring as they are, work really well.
 
I think generally people say you can keep your immune firing on all cylinders by:

Getting 7 hours sleep per night (not 8+)

Having moderate positive stress in your life.

Moderate exercise

Get some fresh air and sunlight

Drink enough fluids like water, don't overdo alcohol, tea, coffee, fizzy drinks.

Eat a balanced diet and try to cut down on processed foods - ie the closer to nature the less harm it does you.

Avoid food which is yellow after cooking (This is my rule - I made it up).

Make sure your house is a bit dusty and dirty. Your immune system needs a daily gentle workout on dust, dirt, funghi, mould, bacteria etc

Be happy and laugh - misery really does make you ill.
 
Nitefly said:
I'm pretty sure those will not benefit your immune system, but please inform me otherwise.
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My Grandad had his entire diet overhauled when he got cancer and they suggested cutting back on the animal fat to help his immune system. If I recall the arguement from his doctor was tha fat has an bad effect on white cell production, and the lymphatic system. I've never read up on it in any great detail if I'm totally honest.
 
EffBee said:
Make sure your house is a bit dusty and dirty. Your immune system needs a daily gentle workout on dust, dirt, funghi, mould, bacteria etc
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:o:D

branddaly said:
If I recall the arguement from his doctor was tha fat has an bad effect on white cell production, and the lymphatic system. I've never read up on it in any great detail if I'm totally honest.
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Yes that is obvious. I would say thats fairly indirect in relation to what the OP was asking though.
 
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i take vitamins but i know why i havent even had a cold for 3 years - Listerine!!

yeah i know i sound crazy but gargle with listerine before you go to sleep - the antiseptic will kill any germs left in your mouth after brushing and it'll stay in your throat even after youve spat it out. downside is your partner will probably hate the taste/smell so get your lovlies before gargling lol.

dont knock it till youve tried it lol
 
A balanced diet.
And no dry air (keep your mucous membranes moist)
And one that most forget - excercise (as this boosts blood supply and increases lymph flow)

And - just to blow away any myths here......no suplement has ever been conclusively proven to prevent colds or boost the immune system - although the marketers would have you believe otherwise.

"As for vitamin C's effects, a recent survey of 65 years' worth of studies found limited benefit. The researchers found no evidence that vitamin C prevents colds. However, they did find evidence that vitamin C may shorten how long you suffer from a cold. One large study found that people who took a vitamin C megadose -- 8 grams on the first day of a cold -- shortened the duration of their colds"

The same can be said for Zinc and Echinacea - They do not prevent colds - but many blind trials have proved they shorten the duration of them (as does chicken soup - which is a lot cheaper)

In fact - Most 3rd world countries have very little occurence of colds and flu and have very little intake of both Zinc an Vit C.
 
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divosuk said:
A balanced diet.
And no dry air (keep your mucous membranes moist)
And one that most forget - excercise (as this boosts blood supply and increases lymph flow)

And - just to blow away any myths here......no suplement has ever been conclusively proven to prevent colds or boost the immune system - although the marketers would have you believe otherwise.

"As for vitamin C's effects, a recent survey of 65 years' worth of studies found limited benefit. The researchers found no evidence that vitamin C prevents colds. However, they did find evidence that vitamin C may shorten how long you suffer from a cold. One large study found that people who took a vitamin C megadose -- 8 grams on the first day of a cold -- shortened the duration of their colds"

The same can be said for Zinc and Echinacea - They do not prevent colds -, but many blind trials have proved they shorten the duration of them (as does chicken soup - which is a lot cheaper)
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No dry hair? As in on top of my head?
 
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