Nutrients that Fight Germs and Infections
When it comes to fighting infection, more and more studies indicate that diets high in antioxidants reduce colds and flu infections. Antioxidants also intercept and destroy free radicals, improving immune system function and delaying aging.
A Crash Course in Free Radicals
Free radicals — which include the superoxide radical, the hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide — are highly reactive oxygen fragments created by normal chemical processes in the body's cells. Because they lack electrons, they attempt to steal them from other molecules in a process known as oxidation. While your body needs some free radicals to fight infection and contract smooth muscles, excess free radicals in the body create harmful toxins that can destroy antioxidants.
An antioxidant neutralizes oxidants, including free radicals. But when the antioxidant systems of the body are overwhelmed, free radicals stabilize themselves by stealing electrons from them and causing more generations of free radicals, which create further damage. As these chain reactions spread through the body, they attack many vulnerable sites and cause infection and even chronic disease.
Free radicals can be produced in dangerous amounts by irritants such as cigarette smoke, pesticides, air pollution, ultraviolet light, and radiation, which are all too common in most peoples' everyday environments. Stress, anxiety, and exercising to excess can also produce large amounts of free radicals.
The Role of Vitamins
Certain vitamins act as antioxidants, or circuit breakers, to the formation of free radicals. They break up the chain reaction that spawns ever-increasing numbers of free radicals, stopping the damage without generating more free radicals.
Free radicals can lower the body's resistance to infection and disease and cause myriad conditions, including birth defects, ulcers, digestive tract disorders, liver damage, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, anemia, cataracts, high cholesterol, premature aging, cancer, and diabetes.
Reducing Free Radical Damage
You can reduce damage from free radicals by eating a diet rich in antioxidants and avoiding pollution, pesticides, cigarette smoke, and other dangerous environmental factors.
The Most Important Antioxidants for Infections
The following vitamins help reduce the actions of free radicals and prevent the risk of infection or help heal it:
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is extremely important in immune defense. Vitamin A has been shown to enhance white blood cell functioning, which helps the body resist and fight off infection.
Vitamin B6 helps the immune system function properly by aiding in the production of antibodies that help the body fight infection.
Vitamin C boosts immunity by increasing the production of white blood cells to help the body fight off infection. It also increases the body's level of interferon, which prevents viruses from even entering the body.
Vitamin E builds a healthy immune system by triggering the production of cells that kill germs and promote the production of B cells, which create the antibodies that destroy bacteria.
Beta-carotene enhances the effectiveness of vitamin C, an important vitamin in preventing infections.
Selenium is a potent antioxidant that helps kill free radicals.
Bioflavonoids have been shown to reduce the inflammation that accompanies infection. They also boost the action of vitamin C.
Zinc promotes anti-inflammatory actions in the body.
Omega-3 fatty acids help decrease inflammation, a reaction to infection that helps rid the body of toxins.
Copper reduces inflammation.
If you have a personal history or a family history of disease, are under chronic stress, smoke, or live in a polluted environment, you should make juicing a daily habit and consider taking antioxidant supplements. Even if you don't see the evidence of free radical damage yet, it's never too early to start a healthy routine.
