Eating a healthy well balanced diet will ensure a strong immune system . Deficiencies in calories and protein will definitely make a person more susceptible to infections and or take a longer time to recover from an illness.
In most developed countries today most children get enough calories and protein.
However not all will be eating a balanced diet, especially one that includes immune
boosting nutrients such as vitamins A,C, E, B6, minerals such as Selenium , iron
and Zinc and the whole host of 'non vitamin' antioxidants such flavanoids.
Vitamin A : Needed for maintaining skin/mucous membranes which is our barrier to
disease causing bacteria and viruses. Food high in vitamin A are liver, eggs, full
cream dairy products.
High amount of vitamin A is toxic! So do not eat mega doses of vitamin A from supplements.
Beta-carotene: Is a pre-cursor of vitamin A. It is a powerful antioxidant. Good
sources of beta-carotene are carrots, papaya, pumpkin and green leafy vegetables.
Large amounts are not toxic but it may make your skin yellowish.
Vitamin C: helps in the process that eliminates harmful bacteria, viruses and other
foreign bodies that enter the body. The amount needed is dependent on the amount
of pollution and stress in your life. Usually it is not recommended that a person
consume higher than 1000mg a day from supplements. Fresh fruit and vegetables are
high in vitamin C. Prolonged storage or exposure of cut fruit to the air will decrease
vitamin C content. Try to have about 2 servings of fruit a day.
Vitamin E and Selenium: are both important for immunity. Vitamin E can be found
in most vegetable oils and nuts. Deficiencies are rarely seen and there is no evidence
to support supplementation. Vitamin E despite being a fat soluble vitamin in not
toxic in large amounts. Selenium is needed to make the body's natural antioxidant
called superoxide dismutase. You can get selenium from fish, seafood, lean meat
and whole grains.
Vitamin B6: This vitamin nourishes the thymus which is the gland that produces a
type of white blood cell called T-cells. B6 is widely distributed in food such as
lean meat, chicken.
Iron: has been shown to improve antibody responses especially to certain viruses.
Iron deficiency is associated with lowered immunity. Food high in heme iron (the
more absorbable type) are lean red meat, liver, chicken and fish. Food high in non-heme
iron (poorly absorbed type) are green leafy vegetables, broccoli, fortified breakfast
cereals. You can improve the absorption of non heme iron by including a food high
in vitamin C together with your meal. E.g. Cut fruit on breakfast cereal.
Zinc: is another mineral essential for the thymus. Most people find it hard to meet
their recommended requirement for zinc because most of the zinc is taken out of
any processed foods. Food high in zinc include shellfish, fish and lean meat.
So for a strong immunity, ensure that you child eats a balanced diet that include
food from all the food groups and plenty of fruit and vegetables to supply flavanoids.
In fact, the more colourful the better.