A strong immune system is important these days to protect people against the effects of the virus that has affected the whole world. While these vitamins are not meant to treat or cure people with the virus, they can help fight off infections that may harm the body. People can buy over-the-counter vitamins from the drugstore to complement the nutrients they get from the food they eat.
People who are not keen on eating fruits and vegetables can get their daily dose of vitamins through these pills, tablets, or capsules to keep themselves healthy and fit. The manufacturing process of these vitamins is complicated that starts with a preliminary check on the ingredients used for the vitamins.
The manufacturer should ensure the raw vitamins come from a reliable supplier to prevent any complications in the future. They also make sure the tools and equipment in the manufacturing plant are free of contamination. The manufacturer even uses pharmaceutical-level epoxy flooring to prevent contamination.
Then, the ingredients go through pre-blending, wet granulation, weighing, mixing, and encapsulation. The process doesn’t end here since the vitamins go through polishing, inspection, tableting, and coating. Once they are thoroughly coated, the manufacturer packages the vitamins, and it goes through quality control before it ships the products to the retailers.
The process may be complicated, but it provides people with the vitamins they need to strengthen their immune systems. But people can also include the following food in their diet if they are not keen on taking pills, tablets, or capsules.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D of the sunshine vitamin can boost the body’s immune system by boosting its white blood cells. It can also reduce inflammation and promotes the immune response of the body. While the body can create vitamin D from sunlight, it can also get it from different types of fish, including sardines, mackerel, salmon, and tuna. They can also get the vitamin from fortified milk, cereals, and orange juice.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential nutrient that can help the immune function of the body. It can also help the body grow and synthesize DNA. Since the body does not produce or store this mineral, people should get it through supplements or from the food that they eat.
To get zinc, people can eat oysters, crab, and poultry. They can also include lean meats, baked beans, and chickpeas in their diet. Yogurt is another good source of zinc for the body.
Vitamin A
Aside from helping preserve eyesight, vitamin A also helps reduce the risk of contracting bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The vitamin also plays a role in maintaining the natural defenses of the body. It keeps the immune system functioning properly. Vitamin A also helps the body in producing and managing white blood cells, which fight against pathogens in the blood.
People can get vitamin A by including eggs, cheese, and oily fish in their diet. They can also eat fresh produce, such as carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. Dark green leafy vegetables are also good sources of vitamin A.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that offers a lot of health benefits. Being an antioxidant, it can help reduce the risk of a person contracting chronic diseases. It can also help people manage high blood pressure and lower the risk of contracting heart disease.
The vitamin can also prevent iron deficiency and boost the body’s immunity by promoting the production of white blood cells. Vitamin C also helps the white blood cells of the body to function properly in protecting the body.
Since the body cannot produce vitamin C, people should include fruits and vegetables in their diet. Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, like oranges. People can also get the vitamin from broccoli, peppers, brussels sprouts, strawberries, kale, and spinach.
Vitamin C is available in many types of food, which means many people do not need to take supplements to get it.
Vitamin E
Being an antioxidant, vitamin E can help the body protect the cells from damage and fight infection. This fat-soluble vitamin also plays a role in the way the immune system of the body works. It can also reduce the damage caused by free radicals and increase cell life. In this manner, vitamin E can slow down the aging process of cells.
People can get vitamin E from sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, and peanuts. They can also get the vitamin when they include avocado, Atlantic salmon, mangoes, and goose meat in their diet.
Staying healthy and fit during a pandemic is important. While people can exercise to stay fit, they should also have a healthy diet to get the vitamins they need to boost their immune system.
