Top Ten infection fighting Foods

• Bread, wholemeat or wholemeat chapatis are a great source of B6 needed to boost the activity of the spleen and thymes gland, both vital for good immunity. Other B vitamins involved in immunity include folic acid, found in green leafy veggies and vitamin B12 found in liver, fish, eggs and brewer's yeast.
  
  
• Carrots, a major source of beta carotene, also found in red, orange, yellow and dark green fruit and veggies. Beta carotene helps stregthen immune barriers such as the skin and mucus membranes and increases the activity of the immune system and the antibody response.
  
  
• Cheese and other diary foods contain calcium (also found in leafy greens, fish, nuts and pulses) which work in collaboration with magnesium to enhance immune function. Go for low fat versions.
  
  
• Chocolate, bursting with iron (also found in meat, egg yolks, shellfish and parsley) that is needed to balance the white blood cells involved in immunity. (Go easy on this food since it's also very fattening).
  
  
• Fish, oily, such as rawas, tuna, mackerel, sardines, hilsa, are rich in selenium which boosts the white blood cells and immune enzymes. They also contain fatty acids that are involved in inflammation, the process by which the body marshalls the white blood cells and other chemicals to fight infection.
  
  
• Green leafy vegetables contain magnesium (also found in nuts, sea food and whole grains) to boost immune activity.
  
  
• Nuts and seeds contain Vitamin E that helps improve the function of white blood cells.
  
  
• Oranges, one of the most concentrated source of Viyamin C, also found in amla, strawberries, papaya, other citrus fruits, melons, cabbage, capsicum and guava. Vitamin C increases the number of chemical messengers - specially interferon - which are vitally important in the process of fighting infection.
  
  
• Prawns and seafood contain zinc, which helps increase the action of the free radical destroying scavenger cells.
  
  
• Tea, along with whole grain and leafy greens, contain manganese to increase the activity of the killer immune cells.