by Shannon Morehouse

Created on: November 24, 2008

Nutritional immunology is the study of the way in which our food consumption affects our immune system. Our immune system is comprised of organs, tissues, cells and cell products (such as antibodies) that protect our bodies from being invaded by toxins and pathogens. A strong immune system can not only protect you from contracting a cold or flu, but it can also help prevent serious diseases and conditions like obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Did you know that one of the easiest ways to strengthen your immune system is through proper nutrition?

Over the past few decades, we as a society have been losing touch with the meaning of proper nutrition. As a nutritionist, I can attest that many people who begin seeing me truly believe that they are eating healthfully. Then, slowly, they begin to realize that even though their microwaveable low-calorie dinners contain good veggies like broccoli, they
aren't healthy or they begin to understand that a Subway sandwich isn't exactly a healthy lunch.

Improper nutrition shuts down your immune system. Proper nutrition boosts the immune system. How does this occur? Improper nutrition creates more oxidative stress on the body, which causes the production of free radicals, and then damage to the cells. These nasty little free radicals are believed to accelerate diseases and illnesses, even cancer. Proper nutrition involves eating foods that are loaded with antioxidants, which literally "anti-oxidize" free radicals, preventing them from damaging our immune system. Another key to proper nutrition is not only eating nutritious foods, but avoiding heavily processed and refined foods, otherwise we are negating the nutritious foods we do consume!

If you are interested in putting nutritional immunology to the test, here's a brief list of things to consume LESS of:

Fast food (even Subway

Fried food

Anything that comes in a package

Pastries, cookies, brownies, cakes, doughnuts (the sugar and refined flour will produce free radicals)

Foods high in saturated fat (butter, cheese, red meats and pork

Sandwich meats with nitrates

Here is a brief list of high-antioxidant foods that have been proven through vigorous research to strengthen the immune system, and even prevent degenerative diseases.

Apples

Onions

Green tea

Dark chocolate (don't go overboard though because many dark chocolates also have sugar)

Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts

All berries

Grapes

Walnuts

Sunflower seeds

Legumes

Wheat germ

Several herbs

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