Factors That Influence Immunity

Factors That Influence Immunity

The immune system responds splendidly to an Eating for Health diet, daily
exercise, targeted nutrient support, and inner work, such as prayer and meditation. A
battle-fatigued immune system becomes stronger as you provide it with a diverse,
whole-food diet that:

• Is rich in unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, and nuts
• Is low in poor-quality fats (trans fats, overheated and rancid fats, genetically modified [GM] oils, and highly refined cooking oils) and refined sugars
• Provides lean, hormone- and antibiotic-free protein
• Is abundant in pure water green and herbal teas (we suggest eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day)

SUGAR WEAKENS IMMUNITY

The food component most damaging to your immune system is refined sugar,
which is often referred to as an immunosuppressant. In Get the Sugar Out: 501
Simple Ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet, author Ann Louise Gittleman (2008)
warns that no matter what form it takes, sugar paralyzes the immune system in a
variety of ways by:

• Hampering the pathogen-killing capability of white blood cells for up to five hours after intake
• Decreasing the manufacture of antibodies
• Hindering the distribution of vitamin C, one of the most critical vitamins for all aspects of immune function
• Creating mineral imbalances and potential allergic effects, both of which dampen immune system functioning
• Countering the action of essential fatty acids, which makes cells more susceptible to invasion by allergens and microbes

Sugar ’s harmful effects on the immune system were demonstrated in a study
(von Känel, Mills, and Dimsdale 2001) that showed a dramatic decrease in several
types of immune system cells just two hours after subjects ingested 75 grams of
glucose (slightly more than a 20-ounce cola). Keeping in mind that simple
carbohydrates break down readily and rapidly into glucose, we can see clearly that
the intake of high-glycemic foods has a profound impact on immune response.