In the midst of a pandemic, people are rightfully concerned about improving their immune health. The Center for Disease Control has provided many important measures to avoid COVID-19 infection (mask wearing, regular hand-washing, and social distancing to name a few), but ensuring your immune system is equipped with vitamins and nutrients to function optimally is also crucial.

The following nutrients are beneficial to the body for a number of reasons, but below are how they affect your immune system and ability to fight illness!

➡  Omega-3’s

Omega-3 fatty acids come in three forms, ALA, DHA, and EPA-- and all are extremely important for immune health. Equipped with amazing anti-inflammatory properties, Omega-3 assists in the functioning of white blood cells and the immune system overall.

Food sources of Omega-3 ALA include walnuts and flaxseeds. DHA and EPA Omegas are harder to find on a plant-based diet, but can be sourced from algae and supplemented!

➡  Vitamin C

Vitamin C is probably the most well-known vitamin for illness prevention. A natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory, the nutrient has proven to help with shortening the duration and severity of colds.However, Vitamin C is much more effective when supplemented over long periods of time, as opposed to large doses at the start of cold symptoms.

Vitamin C is found in foods like bell peppers, citrus fruits, and tomatoes!

➡  Vitamin D3

Deficiency in Vitamin D is linked to increased susceptibility to infection, making it an important nutrient for immune health and overall wellness. Supplementing with Vitamin D boosts natural defenses against illness and prevents inflammation- allowing the immune system to function properly.

Plant-based sources of Vitamin-D are hard to come by, but it can be sourced from reindeer lichen, which is a species of moss!

➡  Zinc