When Hippocrates famously stated “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” around 400 BC, he was clearly onto something. In fact, modern medicine could learn a great deal from ancient teachings that emphasize natural food and healing plants in caring for human health. It is ironic, in fact, that age-old, traditional healing systems, such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, are frequently referred to as “New Age” medicine.
Foods to Avoid for Immune Health
One of the many lessons we can glean from these ancient sources of wellness wisdom is that while many foods and beverages offer remarkable health benefits, others fall on the opposite side of the spectrum, creating harm at the cellular level and compromising normal, functional immunity over time. Some of the worst offenders include:
Processed sugar
When sugar attaches to either protein or fat in the bloodstream, harmful compounds called
advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may be formed. AGEs appear to
weaken the immune system by:
- Promoting inflammation
- Depleting your body’s antioxidant mechanisms
- Inducing cellular dysfunction
- Negatively affecting gut bacteria
As a result, this common sweetener has been shown to increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease, among other conditions. Additionally, high levels of sugar in the blood can harm gut barrier function and drive bacteria imbalances, which can further
alter your immune response and make your body more susceptible to infection.
Refined carbohydrates
Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) are associated with increased inflammation in the body, impaired immune health and premature aging. The GI is a scale that ranks the amount of carbohydrates in food from zero to 100. The higher the number, the faster the carbohydrates are digested. Eating high-GI foods can cause blood sugar levels to rapidly rise and fall, with negative repercussions in the body that can increase the risk of serious health issues such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, too many
refined carbs may alter gut bacteria, which can further compromise healthy immunity.
Interestingly, one research team, in exploring
the highest GI foods, observed that, “Unfortunately, even after four decades of the publication of the first comprehensive list of Glycemic index (GI) values, many health professionals still believe that sugar and sweetened beverages have greater impact on blood sugar. This belief has no scientific basis. Most starchy foods have a GI greater than 70, while most sugary foods are less than 70, and, on the whole, we eat twice as many calories in the form of starch as added sugar.”
Processed and charred meats
Animal-derived foods high in saturated fat and protein tend to be especially dense in dangerous AGEs, with more formed during the cooking process, especially in the case of processed and charred meats. One study examining the AGE content of over 500 foods found that
fried bacon, broiled hot dogs, roasted skin-on chicken thighs and grilled steak had the highest level of AGEs.
Such processed meats have been implicated in the most prevalent diseases we humans face, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and various forms of cancer, all of which are categorized as inflammatory disorders, with
impaired immune functions caused or accompanied by alterations in gut microbiota.
Alcohol
Scientists have long observed a link between heavy alcohol consumption and immune-related health problems. In recent decades, research has connected heavy drinking to an increased risk of respiratory disorders, liver disease, certain cancers, a higher risk of postoperative complications and impeded recovery from infection and physical trauma.
One research team examined the complex ways in which
alcohol disrupts immune pathways, contributing to organ damage and impairing the body’s ability to defend against infection and heal from tissue injury. This is partly because alcohol makes contact initially with the gastrointestinal (GI) system, negatively affecting the structure and integrity of the GI tract. As such, it diminishes microorganisms in the intestine that aid in normal gut function, as well as damaging epithelial cells, T cells, and neutrophils in the GI system, all of which can disrupt gut barrier function and impair immune health.
Fast/fried/junk food
As we know, the Western diet is characterized by a high consumption of refined sugars, salt, and saturated fat. One group of scientists set out to discover
how these dietary factors impacted immune function, with regard to the gut microbiome and the ways in which unhealthy diet choices are encoded into our gut, our genes, and are passed to our offspring. The team concluded that excessive calories from sugary, salty, and fatty foods demonstrably increase the risk of chronic inflammation, infection, allergic and auto-inflammatory disease and cancer.
Other studies have linked fatty, highly processed foods to various health problems, such as driving inflammation, increasing gut permeability and promoting bacteria imbalance in the gut, all of which can
negatively affect healthy immunity. Fried foods specifically, which are especially high in AGEs, have been linked to inflammation, cellular damage, and impaired immune health.
Considering, again, that the typical Western diet is based largely on foods and beverages that may compromise immune well-being over time, cutting out every offender can seem like a daunting prospect. A helpful tactic to ease your transition is to gradually crowd out less healthy choices with more nutritious options. Meanwhile, it makes sense to protect yourself along the way with vitamins, minerals and botanicals that support normal immune function. Consuming adequate amounts of key nutrients—including
vitamin A,
vitamin C,
vitamin D,
vitamin E,
selenium and
zinc—is very important for proper immune function as clinical
deficiencies of these nutrients weaken immunity and can increase susceptibility to infections. Additional options for targeted daily wellness support include:
With a little effort, you will find the healthy balance you seek. Here’s to living long and well?by design!
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