Keeping your immune system healthy is the best way of fighting off infection & disease. Learn more about how to take care of your immune system this Autumn with immune-boosting vitamins and minerals as well as general immune health advice.
Here in Ireland, it’s not surprising that the changing seasons often result in colds, flu, and sickness for the vast majority of us. Dropping temperatures mixed with rain, damp, and wind can be disastrous for our health, resulting in sniffy noses, coughs, and sore throats for everyone in the family. While it can be difficult to avoid the dreaded bugs that become so popular around Autumn and Wintertime, one way of protecting your family in some capacity is by ensuring you are taking immune-boosting vitamins.
Many of us require an extra immunity boost in the latter part of the year to help fight off colds and flu, and regularly taking vitamins is a great way to do this.
Here, the team at Widdess Fitzgibbon Pharmacy will explain the best vitamins to consider if you want to give your immune system that extra helping hand this Autumn and Winter.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the body’s most important immune-boosting vitamins, helping to build your immune system and help fight off infection. In the body, vitamin C helps to encourage the production of white blood cells, which are vital in protecting the body against infectious diseases and illnesses. As well as this, vitamin C protects white blood cells against harmful free radicals, which helps the cells work optimally. Vitamin C can be gotten through foods such as oranges, lemons, limes, strawberries, potatoes, peppers, broccoli, and more, or taken in supplement form. As well as being available as standard tablets, vitamin C is also available as effervescent tablets and gummies for easy consumption. As a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C is safe to take for all the family, and cannot build up to dangerous levels in the body.
Vitamin D
Here in Ireland, we’re always being encouraged to take vitamin D supplements, and for good reason, too! Vitamin D, also known as “the sunshine vitamin”, can be gotten through sunlight as well as in oily fish, red meat, mushrooms, and egg yolks, and is vital for the health of our bones, teeth, muscles, and immune system. Similar to vitamin C, vitamin D supports immune health, which is why supplementation is recommended throughout the darker winter months. By ensuring your vitamin D levels are stable all year round, your body will be better prepared to fight infection, meaning you’re less likely to get sick. It’s also a great excuse to take a mid-winter sun holiday!
B Complex Vitamins
B complex vitamins are a type of vitamin that include all the major B vitamins, including vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, and more. Similar to vitamin C and vitamin D, B complex vitamins are vital for the function of the immune system, especially vitamin B. Interestingly, vitamin B6 is the vitamin responsible for producing white blood cells and T cells, which regulate immune response. Alongside this, vitamin B6 helps the body to produce certain proteins which help to direct white blood cells, ensuring they work optimally in the body. Vitamin B6 can be consumed in the form of oily foods and healthy fats such as avocados, eggs, peanuts, oats, and bananas, and can also be purchased in supplement form from all pharmacies and health food stores. By ensuring your B vitamin levels are stable, your immune system will reap the rewards.
In Conclusion
One of the best ways to ensure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your body is to eat a healthy, balanced diet full of fruit, veg, legumes, lean meat, healthy oils, and healthy fats. That being said, a healthy diet is not realistic or accessible to everyone which is why supplementation can be the perfect alternative. For more information on our range of Limerick Pharmacy services including supplements and general medical advice, feel free to pop into our Limerick pharmacy today.
*Always contact a doctor before supplementing your diet with vitamins or minerals
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