Good Nutrition - A Vital Partner in Immune System Performance
 Immune systems are like cars: without fuel they can't run, no matter how beautifully designed they are. In this way, your immune system and nutrition are very closely linked. Your body's ability to fight off disease depends on the presence of a wide variety of minerals and vitamins that must be obtained from different food groups.
Here are some of the most powerful immune system nutrition staples you'll find in a well-balanced diet:
- Vitamin C: This vitamin is found in citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit, other fruits like strawberries, and vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, and cauliflower. It may help protect white blood cells, the body's main defense against bacteria and viruses.
- Vitamin E: You can get a healthy dose of vitamin E by eating fortified cereals, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, spinach, nuts, vegetable oils, turnip greens, and peanut butter. It is believed to help stimulate the production of B-cells, lymphocytes that eat bacteria.
- Carotenoids: These natural pigments, a form of vitamin A, are found in orange foods like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, and mangoes. It is believed to help stimulate the production of white blood cells and also to help them fight infections more efficiently, according to some researchers.
These are just a few of the nutrients your body needs for a well-tuned immune system, demonstrating that total nutrition is vitally important for healthy immune function. However, consuming too much of one nutrient can have negative effects, so it's important to talk to a physician before altering your diet.
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