Diet for Healthy Immune System

The immune system is an important biological system of the body that maintains the resistance of the body against various infections and diseases. It works in collaboration with other systems of the body and also acts as the body’s shield against infections. The main functions of the immune system are:

• The immune system destroys harmful and infectious microorganisms thereby protecting the body from ailments.

• The immune system recognizes harmful foreign substances like germs, pollen, and dust and forms antibodies against the same to prevent the recurrence of these ailments.

You can maintain the health of the immune system by consuming a balanced and nutritious diet. A diet to boost the health of the immune system should have the following elements:

• Consume a diet which is low in fat content as high consumption of fat makes you susceptible to diseases like diabetes and heart ailments. These ailments are not caused by infection and hence, the immune system may not be able to protect the body against these ailments.

• Complement the low fat diet with fibrous foods in your diet as fiber reduces the hazard of degenerative diseases. Also, it cleanses the stomach, thereby getting rid of the infectious bacteria in the stomach which may cause infections.

• You should consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. You must eat green beans, nuts, whole grains, seaweeds and foods rich in chlorophyll.

• You must consume a diet that is high in protein content as protein deficiency leads to negative effects on the entire immune system. Proteins are instrumental in preventing the wastage of body tissues in case of an invasion of the body by infectious organisms.

• You are advised to drink plenty of water. Water stimulates all the systems of the body and also facilitates functions like the regulation of body temperature and the drainage of toxins out of the body. It helps boost the health of the immune system.

• You are advised to consume oils with essential fatty acids like Omega 6 Linoleic Acid. These essential oils are instrumental in the formation of substances called prostaglandins that stimulate the immune system of the body.

• You must limit the consumption of foods like meat, sugar, dairy products and canned foods.

These are a few recommendations for a diet to maintain and retain a healthy immune system. You should also include daily exercise to increase circulation and improve fitness levels.

Diet for Constipation

What is constipation? Constipation is an ailment of the digestive system. It refers to the improper digestion of food, disabling the cleansing of the bowel by defecation. The undigested food remains in the stomach for a longer period, causing discomfort and stomach ailments. Constipation also makes your body prone to other ailments, thereby weakening the immunity mechanism of the body.

Causes and symptoms: The prime cause of constipation is irregular dietary patterns. The other causes of the affliction are stress, a lack of fiber in the diet, the excessive intake of calcium or iron supplements, the regular use of diuretics and a lack of fluids in the body. In addition to these causes, the intake of certain medications like painkillers with codeine or certain medicines for depression as well as a lack of physical exercise can also cause or aggravate this problem. The common symptoms of the ailment are dry and difficult bowel movements, nausea, stomachache, abdominal swelling and vomiting.

Food for Constipation

The diet recommended to cure and avert the recurrence of constipation is as follows:

• You must consume a lot of fruits, including fruits like guava and papaya which are particularly rich in their fiber content.

• You should also consume a lot of spinach in raw or cooked form to treat constipation.

• You are advised to consume orange juice at least once a day as oranges are instrumental in cleansing the digestive system. You may also consume other acidic or citrus fruits like grapefruit and lemon as these help in cleansing the bowels.

• You must also consume grapes as grapes have laxative properties, thereby curing constipation. You can consume grapes in dry or soaked form.

• Apples are instrumental in boasting your immune system and help in cleansing the bowels of germs. Hence, apples must be included in any diet to treat constipation.

• You must drink plenty of water so as to appropriately hydrate your body. Water eases the bowel movement thereby relieving constipation.

• Dry foods must be avoided.

• Cut down on your intake of rice. You may substitute rice with wheat in your daily diet as this is a fiber-rich substitute.

• You must include tomato and beet root in your diet, perhaps as a salad, as these foods are helpful in cleansing and rejuvenating the digestive system.

• You are also advised to consume at least a glass of sugarcane juice daily.

• Avoiding consuming processed or canned foods.

• Alcohol and tobacco are a strict no-no if you want to get rid of this problem.

These are some diet inclusions and exclusion which will help treat and prevent constipation.

Diet Foods for Healthy Weight Loss and Nutrition

In this contemporary era of fast paced lives, people tend to gain weight due to the excessive consumption of fast foods, sedentary nature of their jobs and the lack of physical activity. As such, people are prone to weight gain or obesity which has grave implications on health.

When people gain weight, they usually go on diet plans so as to lose weight which restrict their intake of various foods. These diet plans may help you reduce weight to a certain extent, but they also tend to make you weak and enervated.
As such, it is better to go for alternative ways of reducing weight, which are effective as well as healthy. One such way is the consumption of negative or zero calorie foods, which help you lose weight, but in a healthy manner.

The negative or zero calories foods are not only very low in calorie content, but they also require a lot of energy to be digested, so that they burn the calories earned by the consumption of other foods. When you incorporate such foods in your diet, you are not required to cut down on your favorite foods. Rather, you just need to include certain foods in your diet.

Some of the negative or zero calorie foods are:

• There are certain vegetables which are very low in calories and also consume a lot of calories to be digested. These include cabbage, chili pepper, garden cress, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, garlic, turnip, celery, spinach, and onion. You are advised to include these vegetables in meals, preferably in a boiled state.

• Certain fruits also serve as zero or negative calorie foods. These fruits include mangoes, peach, cantaloupe, cranberries, papaya, honeydew, tangerine, watermelon, raspberries, apple and strawberries. These fruits may be consumed as desserts or snacks, replacing the high calorie foods. Fruits are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, thereby facilitating normal functioning of human body, eliminating skin ailments, fats, and averting weakness.

• Fibrous foods such as tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and carrots also serve as negative calorie foods.

• Some of the citrus fruits also serve as zero or negative calorie foods like lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.

• Cinnamon is also a negative calorie food and as such, may be included in various culinary preparations.

• Water is highly effective in reducing body weight and hence, you must consume water in adequate amounts. In addition to making you feel satiated and therefore less likely to binge, water also helps to hydrate the body and keep your system free of toxins.

You are also recommended to compliment these low calorie foods with a regular exercise regimen for healthy weight loss.

Diet and Cancer Prevention:

Almost 30-40% of all types of cancer are related to one’s dietary habits. Some foods particularly high fat and high calorie diets can substantially increase the risk of this condition, on the other hand a diet that comprises of whole grains, vegetables and fruits will help gain a lot of benefits. Here is a list of foods products that can reduce the risk of various types of cancer to a considerable extent.

Avocados contain a high level of glutathione; a very powerful antioxidant which attacks the free radicals that are present in the body, by preventing the intestines from absorbing certain types of fats. Avocados are also known to be a better source of potassium as compared to bananas and additionally, they are excellent suppliers of beta-carotene. Raw carrots are also an excellent source of beta-carotene; this could help in reducing different types of cancers such as breast, prostate, bladder, intestine, stomach, throat, mouth and lung cancer. Jalapenos and chili peppers contain capsaicin, a chemical which may have a neutralizing effect on certain substances that are known to cause cancer and thus can help in preventing cancers like that of the stomach. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and broccoli contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two chemicals that can reduce the risk of developing prostate as well as other types of cancers.

Flax again, has the effect of an antioxidant as it is known to contain lignans that suppress or block cancerous changes. Omega-3 fatty acids are present in it, which are believed to prevent colon cancer as well as heart diseases. Garlic helps in enhancing the immune system and helps in stimulating the activity of the body’s immune cells that are crucial for fighting cancer. It thus helps in breaking down the various substances that are responsible for causing cancer. Garlic as well as chives, leeks and onions have been linked with reducing the risk of colon and stomach cancer. Grapefruits oranges and various other types of citrus fruits are believed to help in preventing cancer by flushing out carcinogens from the body. There are a large number of mushrooms that help in preventing cancer by boosting the immune system. In addition they contain a protein known as lectin that attacks cancer cells and stops further multiplication. Nuts, papayas, oranges and lemons, raspberries, sweet potatoes, soy products, tomatoes, tapioca, herbal tea and rosemary are also helpful. The consumption of vegetables and fruits will help reduce the risk of cancer considerably.