When we come in contact with a foreign invader (bacteria,
virus), it will almost always enter through the nose or mouth. From here, it’s going to end up in our
digestive tract. At this point, it
must battle our front line troops – immune cells and friendly bacteria that
line the walls of our GI tract.
The immune cells that protect us here are called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes attack pathogens and help
repair any damage done to the intestinal wall. The Babraham Institute in Cambridge, UK, suggests that green
vegetables could play a very important role in making sure these lymphocytes
are in shape and ready to respond to the foreign attack.
The researchers used mice to discover the effects green
vegetables (broccoli, kale, spinach, etc.) had on intestinal
lymphocytes. When the mice
regularly ingested green vegetables, they had lymphocytes that were plentiful
and powerful! They responded well
to any pathogenic invader. When
the mice were fed a synthetic diet without any green vegetables for 2-3 weeks,
70-80% of the lymphocytes disappeared.
That is an astounding discovery!
It appears that the phytonutrients in green vegetables signaled to a key
receptor in the body that kept lymphocytes going strong.
Source:
Ying Li, Silvia Innocentin, David R. Withers, Natalie A.
Roberts, Alec R. Gallagher, Elena F. Grigorieva, Christoph Wilhelm, Marc
Veldhoen Exogenous Stimuli Maintain Intraepithelial Lymphocytes via Aryl
Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation ell 2011 October
The Babraham Institute in Cambridge
The Babraham Institute in Cambridge
So people who don't eat their greens reguarly have a larger chance of getting the flu. Other than the lymphocytes, are there anything else that protects you from germs and the flu? What food helps this if there is another one.
ReplyDeleteThere are many other immune cells in the body such as macrophages and T cells. The lymphocytes in the gut are just the first line of defense. If a virus/bacteria gets through that first line, the body will send other immune troops to fight the infection. The best foods to eat to fight germs and flu are whole natural foods. Greens, berries, meat, eggs, and whey protein are all great choices. It's important to get a variety of fruits/veggies combined with quality protein sources like meat, eggs, and whey protein.
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