Nothing stinks worse than coming down with a case of winter yuck right before holidays. We love to spend the season sharing good food and great company, not germs. But as inevitable as it may seem, did you know dairy can help boost your immunity? Let's talk about the nutrients in milk, yogurt, and cheese that can promote a healthy immune system!
Probiotics
We've written an article about this in the past, but probiotics have a lot of immune-boosting benefits. They decrease bad gut bacteria, boost vaccine effectiveness, and even reduce upper respiratory infections and flu-like symptoms.
And if you do end up needing antibiotics, look to probiotics to counteract some of those associated tummy issues. The key here is to make sure you get live cultures, as some companies' pasteurization processes kill the cultures. Grab some of these in Snowville Creamery's yogurts (6% and 2% Plain, Vanilla, and Maple!) and our No Lac Jack and No Lac Pepper Jack cheeses!
Calcium
People know calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. But did you know that calcium also plays a role in immune function?
Your body fights off infections and illnesses using white blood cells. Emerging research now shows that a calcium signal allows those cells to use sugar for fuel. Without this important signal, cells may not have the energy they need to multiply into the army your body needs.
So load up on calcium, found in abundance in dairy, not just for bone health but to fight off those invaders!
Vitamin D
Dairy products are a great source of Vitamin D, which is crucial for immune function. It can control your body's natural immune response. Research has shown that deficiency in Vitamin D is associated with an increase in autoimmunity and susceptibility to infections.
There have been multiple studies showing lower vitamin D associated with vulnerability to infection. In one report, which studied almost 19,000 people between 1988 and 1994, showed people with lower vitamin D had more upper respiratory tract infections. That's even after they adjusted for variables like season, age, gender, body mass, and race.
So, get your vitamin D game going by including more dairy into your diet!
Wrap Up
Milk is the complete nutrition package that there are no substitutes for. And great nutrition is one step to a healthy life and a strong immune system. Snowville Creamery believes nature got it right, so we make sure we don't cook out those essential nutrients.
Want to read more about the vitamins and minerals in milk? Check out our article that highlights their benefits! Looking for your closest source for the best dairy? (Hint: That's Us!) Check out our interactive store locator!
Or you can have our cheese and merch sent to you or pick up here at our creamery! Visit our store to get started!