Building immunity by foods in old age is very essential.Our own traditional foods are the best sources of naturally occurring substances which are great immunity builders.
We often keep hearing about “immunity”. Simply put, “immunity” is the ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin. It is generally assumed that from early years till about the teenage years, immunity is low (or is in its “building up” phase). At the other end of the spectrum are the older people who have low immunity. As age advances, the ability of the body to fend-off infections reduce as the body weakens with age. With age comes other related issues such as what to eat; what not to eat keeping in mind other ailments / medications that an individual may be experiencing.
In such situations, one is left wondering what foods is ideal to build a healthy immune system. Researchers in the field of health science, especially proponents of natural products for nutrition and well-being, will vouch for the fact that our own traditional foods are the best sources of naturally occurring substances which are great immunity builders. Having said this, we list out a few “daily” foods which are excellent immunity builders. The magic lies in the “ingredients” that are present in these foods which are highly effective in building immunity.
1. Honey: Honey is rich in antioxidants with anti-bacterial activity that make it a powerful immunity booster. Key ingredients present in honey – the carbohydrates present in the monosaccharides.
2. Garlic: Being rich in Vitamins C, B1 and B6; minerals (phosphorous and iron), garlic is not only a great flavour-adding agent to the food, but also a rich source of immune booster owing to its nutritive, anti fungal and antiseptic properties. Key ingredients present in Garlic – sulfur compound allicin.
3. Turmeric: Referred to as the Indian solid gold, the humble turmeric which is known from time immemorial for its role in a clear and healthy skin, has also evoked much interest among researchers for one particular ingredient – curcumin. The role and effectiveness of curcumin goes beyond building immunity, it’s also effective in reducing inflammation, diabetes, arthritis, colds and even cancer.
4. Cabbage: A major player in European and Asian diets, cabbage is packed with valuable nutrients such as sulforaphane, a chemical that enhances the body’s production of enzymes, which disarms cell-damaging free radicals and keeps risks of cancer at bay. Ingredients found in Cabbage are antioxidants, choline, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin as well as the flavonoids, kaempferol, apigenin, andquercetin.
5. Probiotics: One of the most powerful immunity building factors has to do with your gut. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure your gut is clean as possible, often times, it can be done with yogurt that have live and active cultures or by taking probiotic supplements. They help prompt your immune system to fight off diseases as well. Probiotics can also help with the gut-brain-axis, making it possible for you to be relaxed during stressful times like these.
6. Over and above these, meat, nuts, eggs, dairy products, whole grains are some of the other natural foods which are high in Zinc, especially Zinc Citrate and Zinc Picolinate which are tried and tested sources for immunity building. Look for supplements that contain monolaurin, a byproduct of coconut fat, and supplements with zinc monomethonine.
Mr.Shaheen Majeed
President WorldWide, Sami-Sabinsa Group
