If you didn’t like this earlier this year, now you can 😀 It’s that time of year. When viruses are going around. A person’s diet influences their immune system. And the cool thing is, we get to decide what we feed our bodies. We get to decide how we support or don’t support our immune system. A nutrition study shows “that it takes about 75 grams of sugar to weaken the immune system. And once the white blood cells are affected, it's thought that the immune system is lowered for about 5 hours after. (1) According to the AHA: The average American gets 77 grams of sugar per day. The average American child gets 81 grams of sugar per day. So yes, our food is affecting our immune system. (2) How much sugar in a 32 oz coke? 104 grams of sugar How much sugar in a 24 oz Mountain Dew? 72 grams of sugar How much sugar in 1 snickers? 20 grams How much sugar in 1 1/2 cup Fruity Pebbles? 22 grams Nutrition can affect the microbiome, gut barrier function, iinflammation, and white blood cell function, all which play a role in the immune system. “Research suggests that Western-type diets induce inflammation and alter immune system function, promoting disease development. In contrast, diets rich in whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and seafood, and low in ultra-processed foods can reduce disease risk and promote healthy immune function. Additionally, a deficiency or insufficiency of nutrients essential to immune function, including vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin C, can also affect immune response.”(3) 1.https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/26/11/1180/4732762 2.https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/how-much-sugar-is-too-much 3.https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-and-why-does-diet-influence-immune-function#Can-diet-influence-the-immune-system?