(CNN) You are what you eat, experts say, and that includes foods that will help your body fight off infectious diseases this winter. The innate immune system springs into action as the first line of defense, followed by the adaptive immune system, which sends killer T cells, antibodies and other soldiers into combat. Both the Mediterranean and DASH diets avoid processed foods and focus on fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds. "The optimal level from our studies was 200 international units per day," Meydani said. "Cytokine storms," where the immune system goes haywire and overwhelms the body, are one of the leading causes of death from Covid-19.

Source: CNN November 16, 2020 10:07 UTC