Foods That Weaken The Immune System

By Author: Food Med
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Why do we need an Immune system?
Immune system functions to protect our body from harm caused by bad bacteria. A strong immune system is very important, specially in these times when corona virus is affecting so many people and causing irreparable loss to countless people across the globe. Having high immunity can prevent us from falling ill more frequently.

What happens if the immune system is weak

Immunity is the ability of the body to fight viruses and prevent them from causing harm to us. If the immune system is weak, it cannot fight viruses that enter the body and allows them to cause damage to our organs. We might fall ill on a regular basis or even at a small change in our lifestyle or eating habits. To avoid falling ill on a regular basis, it is better to have a good and strong immune system.

Natural ways to improve the immune system

It is not easy to find out if someone has a strong or a weak immune system unless you fall ill on a regular basis. It is always better to work on improving it than assuming that you have high immunity. There are a lot of foods that help you improve your ...
... immunity and one of them is
reishi mushroom. Reishi Mushroom stimulates the immune system function by activating immune cells, removing toxins, clearing any internal or external threats, and stay vigilant to protect the body against future invaders.

Foods that weaken the immune system

While most of the times, the focus is always on foods that improve the immunity, it is better to know foods that do more harm than good. The only advantage of knowing about such foods is that you can avoid them. Here is a list of foods to avoid if you are looking to better your
immune system.

Foods high in Omega-6 fats may lead to immune dysfunction

These foods are common in the diet followed by people of the west. Foods high in omega-6 fatty acids increase the production of pro-inflammatory proteins that may weaken the immune system. Excess of these fats may increase the risk of other diseases such as asthma and may cause allergies too.

Fried foods negatively affect gut bacteria

Fried foods contain advanced glycation end products (AGE’s), which are formed when sugars react with proteins or fats at high temperatures. Increased levels of AGE’s can cause inflammation and damage the cells. The immune system begins to weaken when inflammation in the body rises.

Processed meat are also high in advanced glycation end products

According to a study conducted on different types of food, it was found that processed meat products like bacon, hot dogs and so on had high levels of AGE’s. Apart from high AGE content, processed meat also has high amounts of unsaturated fats compared to unsaturated fats. It is
believed that diets high in saturated fats and low in unsaturated fats can cause immune system dysfunction.

Having highly refined carbs can harm your immune system

Foods that contain refined carbs are called high glycemic foods. These kinds of foods can cause spike in blood sugar levels which leads to increased production of free radicals. Also, a diet that has refined carbs can affect your gut health and negatively affect the immune system.

Alcohol consumption affects adaptive immune response

Alcohol usage on a regular basis can cause stress hormone cortisol, blood sugar, and insulin to rise and when these three are high, they impact the functioning of the immune system in a negative way. Consumption of alcohol can also increase the chances of causing infection in the
body. According to a study, it was also found that, people who consumed alcohol in excess were prone to develop acute respiratory syndrome and pneumonia.

Certain dairy products contain estrogen and progesterone

Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are at their highest concentration in raw dairy products. It is always recommended to pasteurize the milk we consume since it kills all the hormones. The only bad part about it is that it also kills natural hormones along with synthetic ones. Dairy is known to form mucus in the body which can cause cold or flu. It can also cause inflammation in the body which can hamper the functioning of the immune system.

Artificial sweeteners may induce gut bacteria imbalance

Certain sweeteners can alter the gut bacteria and cause inflammation in the gut which can reduce the immune response. Some research studies suggest that excessive usage of artificial sweeteners may be harmful for gut health, though more research is required to confirm this. While most of the studies conducted have said that artificial sweeteners cause harm to the immune system, some suggest that moderate consumption may not cause any harm to the gut bacteria.

Salty foods increase the risk of autoimmune diseases

Salt may inhibit normal immune function, suppress anti-inflammatory response, alter gut bacteria, and increase the generation of immune cells. According to research conducted, it was observed that excessive salt intake may be associated with the increase in autoimmune
diseases. Also, eating too much salt worsens existing autoimmune diseases like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. Reducing table salt intake can be beneficial for immune system.

While having different foods that are good for immune system and avoiding foods that are not are a very good way of taking care of your immunity, complete body detox through certain ayurvedic and yogic processes and practicing yoga regularly also helps you maintain a healthy gut and strong immune system. It should also be noted that, your immunity decreases because of a sedentary lifestyle. It is always good to be physically active to avoid any kind of diseases.

However, it is always a safe practice to consult a doctor, nutritionist or dietician before making any changes to your lifestyle or diet.