Coach’s Corner
As a coach and certified nutrition specialist, I have gotten many questions over the years about nutrition, supplements, vitamins, etc. So, in the upcoming newsletters, I will be including a Coach’s Corner where I will address the most recent questions and concerns from campers, clients and friends about all things ingestible using the most current data, studies and statistics…J
Question #1. Can vitamins help boost my immune system?
The old saying, “An apple a day can keep the doctor away,” may have truth behind it after all. Eating nourishing foods rich in certain vitamins can help your immune system fight off illness. And eating right is a critical step to ward off those illnesses. Here are the top supplements that studies show can help improve and boost your immune system.
Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. In fact, a lack of vitamin C can even make you more prone to getting sick. Foods rich in vitamin C include oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, kale and broccoli. Daily intake of vitamin C is essential for good health because your body doesn’t produce or store it. The good news is that vitamin C is in so many foods that most people don’t need to take a vitamin C supplement unless a doctor advises it OR they do not eat the recommended servings of fruits and veggies each day.
Vitamin B6 is vital to supporting biochemical reactions in the immune system. Vitamin B6-rich foods include chicken and cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna. Vitamin B6 also is found in green vegetables and in chickpeas, which is the main ingredient in hummus. Yum!
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds and spinach. While vitamins and supplements can help fill in the gaps in your diet, the best way to load up on essential nutrients is to get them straight from food. Popeye was right!
Vitamin D is important to innate immunity and boosts immune function against viral diseases. Recently, vitamin D has been shown to have an immune-modulating effect and can lower inflammation, and this may be relevant to the respiratory response during COVID-19.
Your body absorbs and uses vitamins and nutrients better when they come from a dietary source. When it’s a vitamin or supplement, it’s often questionable how much you’re actually getting. Because supplements are regulated as foods, not as drugs, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t evaluate the quality of supplements or assess their effects on the body. It’s especially important to be cautious when taking vitamin E supplements. Not only is there little clinical research showing that vitamin E supplements benefit your health, but they may also be harmful in some situations as it is a fat-soluble vitamin and if taken to excess can be toxic to your system.
Some supplements may have side effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other medicines. Supplements can also cause problems if you have certain health conditions. And the effects of many supplements haven’t been tested in children, pregnant women and other groups.
Keep your eye open in the coming weeks for more information on the best supplements with a high bioavailability.
Staying hydrated can boost your immune health too. Water helps your body produce lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells.
Hope that helps and please keep the questions coming.