A healthy human adult has about 35 trillion cells in their body. While it’s true that our blood contains more red cells than white, white blood cells are still just as vital and necessary to our wellness.
At Lifeforce, our mission is to improve the quality of midlife. That means bringing together all the tools, information, and resources you need to live your peak life. Read on to find out the best way to naturally increase your white blood cell count and power up your immune system.
What Do White Blood Cells Do?
White blood cells, also referred to as “WBCs” or “leukocytes,” help our bodies fight off infection and illness. Their main function is to act as our body’s first line of defense, also signaling other immune cells to come to where they are in the body and fight against foreign invaders.
Factors like inflammation or even a cut on our arm cause our white blood cells to jump into action and protect us so our tissue can heal. They’re another small but mighty part of the body, as they only make up 1% of our blood.
Another amazing function of our WBCs is that they help protect us by giving us antibodies. They’re programmed from the beginning to identify foreign objects in the body, and because they’re designed to protect us, they make sure our bodies are equipped to fight off any germs should they return.
How Many Different Types of White Blood Cells Are There?
If you took a peek under a microscope, you’d see that our white blood cells aren’t really “white,” but clear. Our WBCs are created via stem cells in our bone marrow and stored until an infection occurs when our immune system deploys them.
But did you know not all white blood cells are created equal? There are five different types of WBCs in our bodies, and they can be grouped into three different categories:
Granulocytes
Granulocytes earned their name because they contain small protein granules necessary to our body’s function.
Neutrophils: Neutrophils are the majority of the types of WBCs you’ll find in your blood. They’re the “scavengers” of the white blood cells; they work to hunt down various bacteria and fungi and eliminate them before they can attack.
Eosinophils: We owe our general immune response to these WBCs. They are disease-fighting cells, tackling things like parasites, allergic reactions, and other disease-causing pathogens.
Basophils: Basophils are rare (they make up less than 1% of our overall WBC count), but you can thank them for helping our bodies respond to allergic reactions. You’ll find more of them present in your blood when you’ve been exposed to something you’re sensitive to.
Lymphocytes
B cells: Lymphocytes are “helper” or “soldier” cells, meaning they assist the granulocytes with their respective jobs (mostly to help us heal and recover). B cells produce antibodies to boost our immune system’s response to infection.
T cells: T cells help recognize and kill infectious cells, making them our B cells’ best friend. T cells are also instrumental in vaccine efficacy, as they help create “memory” T cells that will recognize when a certain pathogen has returned. It then signals to our immune system that it’s fought this thing before, making it easier and faster for us to recover.
Natural killer cells: These WBCs do some intense heavy lifting. They’re responsible for targeting and killing viral cells, especially cancerous ones.
Monocytes
Monocytes are one of a kind (pun intended). They make up around 5% of your white blood cells, and their primary function is to stave off chronic infections and destroy any infectious cells they find.
How Do I Naturally Increase My White Blood Cells?
Below are a few ways you can help your body increase its white blood cell count:
Diet
Eating a balanced diet that’s rich in nutrients can help keep those all-important WBCs in check.
As we know, our white blood cells thrive when our immune system does. Eating a diet that’s rich in protein, powerful antioxidants, and vitamins will help your body naturally fight off infectious bacteria and keep that blood cell count where it should be.
Some great foods to incorporate into your diet to help out your WBCs are:
Lean proteins (like chicken and turkey)
Salmon (high in omega-3 fatty acids)
Bell peppers and carrots
Papaya, berries, pineapples, and kiwi
Salad greens (like spinach and kale)
Peak Immunity and Other Boosters
Another great way to help prevent low WBC counts is Lifeforce Peak Defense™. It provides powerful support against offers ultimate protection from seasonal and year-round environmental stressors that can take a toll on your immune system. With Peak Defense™, your body can better prepare for, combat, and heal from these external stressors more efficiently so you can be your best self. Peak Defense™ includes 23 bioactive, scientifically substantiated compounds to enhance your white blood cell function for comprehensive immune support.
Other natural boosters like vitamin C (which can be found in many citrus fruits like oranges and lemons) are another great addition to your daily routine. You may know just how crucial this essential vitamin is for our immune system, but how exactly does it work?
Now that you know all about the different types of WBCs in our blood, here’s the science behind vitamin C: when we ingest vitamin C, two types of white blood cells known as neutrophils and monocytes work to accumulate and store it for future use. Through a complex cell signaling system, our WBCs can support our immune system with our vitamin C stores by protecting vital components of the cell’s structure.
Of course, another great way to keep your immune system strong is by good old-fashioned handwashing. (Yes, with warm water and soap, too!) This will kill bacteria and viruses before they get anywhere near entering your body.
Vitamins, Vitamins, Vitamins
Vitamin C isn’t the only essential nutrient you need to keep your white blood cells flourishing and prevent a low white blood cell count. Your cells need vitamin E to communicate with one another and act out their essential functions. It also widens blood vessels to help prevent blood clots.
Here are just a few ways you can incorporate more vitamin E into your diet:
Almonds
Green vegetables like spinach and broccoli
Vegetable oils (primarily sunflower oil)
Omega 3shelp regulate our immune system and have soothing properties. This is where all the delicious salmon comes in handy — not only is it good for us, it helps create omega-3 fatty acids that we can’t produce ourselves.
To ensure you’re getting enough omega 3s in your diet, try adding some walnuts, other fatty fish like mackerel or herring, and even chia seeds.
Supporting Your White Blood Cells With Lifeforce
Our bodies can truly do amazing things, but we may start to notice ourselves slowing down as we age. Fortunately, there’s no need to panic. Lifeforce is here to take the stress out of the process so you can enjoy your life more fully.
White blood cells protect our bodies against viruses and infections. We can naturally increase our white blood cell count through our diet, making sure we’re getting plenty of necessary vitamins, and through clinician-grade nutraceuticals, like Lifeforce Peak Defense™.
This winning combination helps our WBCs do what they do best should we ever fall ill: help us recover. Let Lifeforcecreate that one convenient solution to help you reach your peak. From convenient diagnostics, to clinician-grade nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, to expert clinical care, you’ll get a personalized performance plan so you can reach your optimal health, and stay there.
Sources:
White Blood Cells: What Are They, Normal Ranges, Role & Function | Cleveland Clinic
Vitamin C and Immune Function | National Institute of Health
Vitamin E - Consumer | National Institute of Health
Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Immune Cells | National Institute of Health
