Dr. Mehmet Oz, professor of cardiac surgery at
Columbia University and co-author of the New York Times bestseller YOU: The Owner's Manual offers a simple to
understand explanation of how the immune system works and how food can influence it. "Nutrient-rich foods
strengthen the immune system and unhealthy foods weaken it by causing inflammation. That's why it is important to
choose healthy foods -- doing so yields short-term benefits, including helping the body fight colds and flu, and
long-term benefits, potentially helping in the fight against diseases like cancer." Inflammation can be an
indicator of cancer in the body. The immune system is our defense against the development of disease. Oranges provide
us with nutrients that make it a cancer prevention food.Dr. Oz suggests nutritional reasons for drinking orange juice in supporting a healthy immune system. Drinking one glass of 100 percent orange juice provides several important nutrients including folate, flavonoids, vitamin C and B6.
- Folate: Lack of folate is the most common vitamin deficiency for adults and it is essential for a healthy immune system. Lower intake of folate as an adult has been associated with certain types of cancer.
- Flavonoids: Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances that occur in certain plant foods. Flavonoids help in the fight against cancer.
- Vitamin C: One of the most powerful antioxidants. Vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals that can cause cell and tissue damage that could lead to cancer. Dr. Gladys Block, Ph.D., reports that people with low vitamin C intake appeared to have approximately twice the cancer risk, compared to people with higher vitamin C intake.
- Vitamin B6: The immune system needs vitamin B6 to
function effectively. It helps maintain the health of lymphoid organs that make white blood cells, which fight
infections. Studies show that a vitamin B6 deficiency can decrease antibody production and suppress immune response.
