Champaign's Rich Relatives Can Boost Our Immune System

Oscar Smith, Publisher/ HIP Champaign 

My wonderful wife Marsha has introduced me to her rich relatives here in Champaign. Blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, and all of their relatives are rich in vitamin C. There is a powerful antioxidant called “flavanol,” found in dark berries. Flavanols, in particular, are touted as a protection against cold and flu bugs. Berries are easily mixed into salads, breakfast cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, and cocktails. Mix some fresh berries with a vegetable dish during dinner. The contrast in tasting sweet berries with cooked vegetables is sure to please the palate.

Vitamins for our Immune System

Vitamin A -- Skin, mucous membranes, and our respiratory tract are all barriers that keep viruses and germs at bay. Vitamin A helps keep the cells in those areas in peak shape. This vitamin also helps white blood cells, which is instrumental in eliminating infections.

Vitamin E – Like vitamin A, vitamin E keeps the membranes of cells healthy throughout our body. It boosts the effectiveness of our immune system.

Vitamin C – Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps our immune system in all areas. It raises the number of antibodies we produce when the immune system is responding to invasion. Vitamin C also stimulates white blood cell production while protecting those cells from damage caused by free radicals.

B Vitamins – The entire spectrum of B vitamins are crucial for the health of our immune system. They are critical players for the proteins which alert our bodies about the presence of harmful intruders. B vitamins ensure the growth of white blood cells, and they let our immune system know what needs to be done to fight off germs, viruses, and disease.