Discover 11 effective ways to naturally boost your white blood cell count and strengthen your immune system, including dietary adjustments with vitamins, omega-3s, zinc, copper and regular exercise.
Heard about white blood cells and how important they are? Ever thought about ways to give them a little boost? We’re diving into some proven methods to help you increase your white blood cell count, which is super important for staying healthy. We’ll explore this topic further.
- 11 Ways to Boost Your White Blood Cell Count
- 1. Mixed Grass Wheat
- 2. Herbal Mixture
- 3. Coneflower Herb
- 4. Consume Omega-3 Fatty Acid Sources
- 5. Consume Vitamin Sources
- 6. Consume Copper Sources
- 7. Consume Zinc Sources
- 8. Practicing Regular Exercise
- 9. Drinking Green Tea
- 10. Consuming Garlic
- 11. Consuming Foods Rich in Quality Proteins From the Body
- What Does Change in White Blood Cell Count Mean?
- Reasons for White Blood Cell Count Decrease in the Body
- Key takeaways
- FAQ, Myth & Facts
11 Ways to Boost Your White Blood Cell Count
So, what are the 11 best ways to help boost those white blood cells in your body?
1. Mixed Grass Wheat
This type of grass, grown in the Southern United States, was tested on 12 individuals with daily doses for 12 weeks. They saw an increase in their white blood cell production, which ultimately strengthened their immune system.
This is especially helpful for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, but it’s important to consult your doctor before using this grass.
2. Herbal Mixture
This is a Chinese herbal blend that uses astragalus herbs to assist in enhancing the activity of immune cells. The research indicates that these herbs don’t affect cancer cells, instead, they significantly boost the immune system in cancer patients. But, of course, check with your doctor before you use this, given the possible interactions and side effects related to its components.
It’s crucial to get your doctor’s advice before using them due to their potential side effects relative to the large amounts that are generally available.
3. Coneflower Herb
It can be considered one of the vital substances that help bacteria directly. It helps boost the activity of white blood cells to fight diseases through a process called phagocytosis. However, patients who are suffering from infections in the liver or diabetes should consult their doctors before taking this herb.
4. Consume Omega-3 Fatty Acid Sources
This is one of the unsaturated fatty acids known for its numerous benefits to the body. It’s found in flaxseed oil, fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon. It works to enhance and strengthen immunity through an increase in the production of white blood cells that engulf and destroy foreign bodies.
5. Consume Vitamin Sources
Vitamin C is one of the best nutrients that helps increase the number of white blood cells by adding it to its natural form in many vegetables and fruits.
As for vitamin E, it enhances the production of natural killer cells and also works to repair the damaged and cancerous cells. It’s easy to get enough daily (around 30 to 60 mg) by including nuts and vegetable oils in your diet. Meanwhile, are you getting enough sleep? Sometimes, a good night’s rest is just what your immune system needs! A lack of sleep can actually suppress immune function, making you more susceptible to illness.
Vitamin A can increase the number of white blood cells that fight cancer cells by increasing the moderate or neutrophils, and it is one of the types of white blood cells, and from the foods rich in this vitamin are: pumpkin, basil, chard, carrots, and green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and okra, and meats.
Folic acid has an important role in renewing cells and protecting against heart and artery diseases as well.
6. Consume Copper Sources
Healthy and fit people need between 50 and 80 milligrams of copper in their blood, because a copper deficiency leads to a number of disorders in the human body.
Foods rich in copper include seafood, such as oysters and sea crabs, nuts, liver, kidneys, mushrooms such as Brazilian nuts and pine, legumes, like beans, fruits such as avocado.
7. Consume Zinc Sources
You can get your needs from the element zinc by eating nuts, seafood, oysters, beans, red meat, beef, and turkey.
Zinc deficiency is significantly related to several disorders of the immune system, including cancer.
8. Practicing Regular Exercise
Regular exercise greatly enhances the body by stimulating blood circulation, which in turn affects the white blood cells.
However, excessive exercise, especially marathon running, can lead to opposite results and reduce the quantity of white blood cells in the body. Therefore, we should stick to regular exercise but moderately.
9. Drinking Green Tea
Looking at foods that boost the immune system and increase the number of white blood cells, we can’t ignore the importance of green tea, as it is a source of antioxidants that help the body fight any enemies.
10. Consuming Garlic
It is one of the most important foods that boost the immune system by stimulating white blood cells to fight enemies and produce antibodies, in addition to its effect on the element of sulfur, which protects the immune system and increases the number of white blood cells.
11. Consuming Foods Rich in Quality Proteins From the Body
Low-fat or lean proteins are one of the most important and best foods that work to increase the number of white blood cells.
Where protein depends on amino acids, which are the basic building blocks in building white blood cells, and therefore its deficiency in the body makes it unable to produce the necessary numbers of white blood cells that face external and foreign bodies.
What Does Change in White Blood Cell Count Mean?
The decrease or increase in the number of white blood cells is generally due to a defect. For example, its normal rate in a microliter of blood is about 4,500 – 10,000.
Accordingly, if that decreases, it indicates that the person is suffering from a low white blood cell count. Another type of low white blood cell count is called Neutropenia, which are the cells responsible for confronting bacterial infections when they enter the body.
It is possible for a low count to appear in a number of diseases, such as blood cancer (Aplastic anemia), bone marrow, Agranulocytosis, and Acute leukemia.
Reasons for White Blood Cell Count Decrease in the Body
There are many reasons that lead to that, including:
- Acute viral infections, such as influenza and colds, and infection of the body with copper and zinc, malaria, and tuberculosis.
- Anemia or blood cancer.
We conclude from the above that a change in the number of white blood cells weakens the immune system and makes a person more susceptible to bacterial and viral infections. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the previous methods in order to increase the number of white blood cells.
Key takeaways
- Boosting your white blood cell count can be achieved through dietary changes, including consuming more vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc-rich foods.
- Regular, moderate exercise can improve blood circulation and positively impact white blood cell production.
- Consulting with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise routine is essential, especially for individuals with underlying health conditions.
FAQ, Myth & Facts
Will taking a multivitamin automatically boost my white blood cell count?
Not necessarily! While multivitamins can help fill nutritional gaps, they aren’t a magic bullet. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle are key.
Is it possible to boost white blood cells too much?
Yes, it is! Abnormally high white blood cell counts can indicate underlying health issues. Always aim for a healthy range.
Can stress impact white blood cells?
You bet. Chronic stress can suppress your immune system, affecting white blood cell function. Managing stress is important for overall health.
Is it better to get vitamins from food or supplements?
Food is generally the best source because you’re also getting other beneficial nutrients, but supplements can be helpful if you have deficiencies.
Can certain medications affect white blood cell count?
Absolutely. Some medications can lower or raise white blood cell counts. It’s important to discuss any medications you’re taking with your doctor.
I used to get sick all the time, like clockwork, every few months. It was so frustrating! Since I started focusing on eating more foods with Vitamin C and making sure I get enough sleep, I have genuinely noticed a big difference. I haven’t been sick in almost a year!
I had chemo and my immune system was shot. This was a tough time, but the doctors recommended a more balanced diet to assist. It has worked wonders, I am more happy and healthy than I have ever been.
Getting older is already bad, but I thought my getting sick constantly was a sign of aging! I am now hitting the gym 3 times a week and having more garlic has been my new favorite thing. No more excuses! I am getting better, not aging badly.
So, after looking at all these ways to boost our white blood cell count, it’s kinda cool to realize how much control we have over our own health, right? It’s not just about popping pills or hoping for the best. It’s about making smart choices about what we eat, how we exercise, and even how we manage stress. Small changes, like adding some garlic to your meals or going for a brisk walk, can really make a difference. And honestly, who doesn’t want a stronger immune system? I know I do!
