After my most recent IGTV on the critical importance of Vitamin D on your immune system I wanted to do a follow up IGTV on how you could begin to incorporate foods rich in Vitamin D, Magnesium and Zinc into your diet.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a critical role in the body. It is unique because it is not found in fresh fruits and vegetables like most other essential vitamins. Instead the body obtains it through sun exposure, supplement and some foods. It is important to note that when taking your vitamin D supplement you want to ensure you’re consuming adequate magnesium as this mineral works with the parathyroid glands to activate the vitamin D.
Foods that contain some levels of Vitamin D
- Fresh Fish
- Cod Liver Oil
- Eggs
- Caviar
- Mushrooms
- Beef Liver
- Lean Meat
- Eel
- Fish Roe (red-orange eggs in sushi, specifically come from salmon)
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential in the proper functioning of the immune system. It works closely with vitamin D. Many times we have clear cut symptoms that we may be magnesium deficient but we do not connect these symptoms back to a deficiency in magnesium. Some signs may include:
- Feeling moody, stressed, depressed or anxious
- Irritable + agitated
- Tension headaches
- Fatigue, lethargy, low energy
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
Magnesium Rich-Foods
- Avocado
- Leafy Greens (Swiss chard, kale, spinach)
- Cashews
- Salmon (and other fatty fish)
- Flaxseeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Dark chocolate (anything above 70%)
- Legumes
- Tofu
- Whole grains
- Bananas
- Almonds
- Sesame seeds
Zinc
Similar to magnesium, zinc is a mineral needed for the chemical activity for over 300 enzymes that run your body’s essential processes. The most well known use of zinc is its role in the immune system. Even a slight deficiency of zinc can slow down the activity of immune cells needed to fight colds, infections, viruses and bacteria.
Zinc Rich Foods
- Oysters
- Beef
- Eggs
- Turkey
- Dark chicken meat
- Sesame seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Cashews
- Lentils, dry
- Chickpeas, dry
Vegans and vegetarians tend to have lower dietary intake levels of zinc due to the nature of zinc containing foods. Animal foods contain higher levels of zinc. If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, include more nuts and seeds in your meals and snacks as an easy way to ensure good zinc nutritional intake.