Did you know that chronic diseases are a public health problem that have been associated with 60% of deaths worldwide [1]?
Your immune system plays a vital role in protecting your body during the manifestation of a chronic disease. Immunity is the body’s key defence mechanism in ensuring that we keep healthy and not get ill. Although most of our food is tailored to help keep our immune system strong, we do fall short sometimes due to our busy schedules. With that in mind, you can take supplements that can boost your immune system to keep it functioning to its potential. Here are some of the top supplements that are proven to help your immune system.
Probiotics
Probiotics may have a reputation of maintaining our digestive system, however, probiotics do have other roles to play. This includes its ability to keep your immune system strong. With more than 70% of the body’s immune cells located in the gut, probiotics help these cells get stronger making them more efficient to ward pathogens off! Nature’s Way has their own range of probiotic supplements. To boot, supplements like Nature’s Way Restore Probiotics + Enzymes, cater to people on gluten-free lifestyles!
Vitamin D
In a paper that was published in 2011, Vitamin D and the Immune System, it was clearly explained that vitamin D is important for your immunity. Research has also proved many times the need for sufficient amounts of vitamin D in your blood to fight pathogens, infections and illnesses. The Institute of Medicine has recommended that every adult should get about 600 IU of vitamin D every day to keep them healthy. Unfortunately, the recommended levels are not met by many, especially during the winter months. With vitamin D deficiency flanked as a risk factor for diseases like breast cancer [2], it’s crucial that you obtain the recommended levels.
Zinc
Zinc is another important nutrient that is vital for the proper functioning of our defence system. However, many of us do not get enough zinc through our diet alone. Zinc deficiency is stated to affect around 25% of the world’s population with WHO reporting it to be the fifth amongst the most significant health risk factors in the developing countries and eleventh worldwide [3]. These statistics don’t come off as a surprise since zinc has been known to help with immunity. As most of us do not get the required levels of zinc through our diet alone, it’s best to invest in supplements to meet our daily requirements to keep our immune system strong and healthy.
Vitamin C
We have occasionally popped a vitamin C pill in order to fight a nasty cold. This vitamin plays a vital role in keeping the immune system functioning at its best. In an article published in 2017, the contribution of vitamin C to the body’s immune system was clearly explained. Vitamin C is required by the innate and adaptive immune systems for various cellular functions that help keep the diseases at bay. The article also highlights the need for adequate vitamins through diet or supplements for the proper functioning of your immune system, as epidemiological studies have revealed that vitamin C deficiency is common among the Western population [4]. In the United States, vitamin C deficiency is reported as the fourth leading cause of nutrient deficiency, making it a must for you to obtain the recommended amount. You want your immune system to function at its best! If you’re looking for vitamin C supplements, Nature’s Way provides Adult VitaGummies Vitamin C 120S for adults and Nature’s Way Kids Smart VitaGummies Vitamin C + Zinc 60S for kids.
There is a saying that we have all heard before ‘An apple a day can keep the doctor away’. But rest assured, a supplement a day can keep the doctor away too!
References:
- Bagatini, M. D., Cardoso, A. M., Dos Santos, A. A., & Carvalho, F. B. (2017). Immune System and Chronic Diseases. Journal of immunology research, 2017, 4284327.
- Shaukat, N., Jaleel, F., Moosa, F. A., & Qureshi, N. A. (2017). Association between Vitamin D deficiency and Breast Cancer. Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 33(3), 645-649.
- Sharma, A., Patni, B., Shankhdhar, D., & Shankhdhar, S. C. (2012). Zinc – an indispensable micronutrient. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology, 19(1), 11-20.
- Carr, A. C., & Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211. doi:10.3390/nu9111211
