OUR positive spirit towards vaccination and the motivation to complete them on time should not be broken even in the face of viral mutation.

Although this is a complex issue, a vaccinated person does not have to totally rely on vaccine-induced immunity.

A step up on immunity through nutrition offers strategic defences.

Enhancing immunity right from the word go, by fortifying mucosal linings covering the sites where viruses enter the body, nutrition influences the body’s vital frontliners of infection defences.

Food rich in nutrients helps ward off infective agents early on in the course of an infection and spares a lot of human suffering by preventing the spread of the infection.

Robust immunity through a balanced diet strengthens frontline mucosal immunity by trapping and removing viruses from the mucous at strategic sites.

Such timely immunity can put an end to the hazardous actions of viruses before they enter the blood stream, multiply in cells and take over our lives.

The coronavirus can command our cells to act for its survival rather than ours but if we prepare for early combat through adequate nutrition, we allow vaccines to work hand in hand with our body to prevent viral infections and reduce viral mutations.

Many viruses are weakened through robust mucosal immunity enhanced by diets replete with micronutrients zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D.

Diets plentiful in nutrient regulators such as vitamin C, folate, selenium, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and plant polyphenols pep up our immunity, working independently and together for vigorous initial antiviral action.

Vaccines further this antiviral protection by stimulating immunity, lessening the chance of infection in the human body.

By warding them off early without weakening us, it means a less likelihood of viral mutation and greater possibility of complete vaccine prevention.

Deficient diets damage mucosal linings by a process called inflammation.

Such mucosal linings lose out on the opportunity to efficiently filter hazardous viruses from entering the blood stream. 

Diet is indeed a potential modulator of vaccine-induced immunity. Key players of vaccine-induced immunity are themselves biological proteins and glycoproteins, and possibly influenced by what we eat.

For instance, protein malnutrition reduces the amount of amino acids in blood. Amino acids are building blocks to kick-start active immunity orchestrated by T cells, B cells and macrophages, as well as for the production of antibodies and cytokines. 

A plate of colourful vegetables and diverse food portions consisting of mushrooms, spinach, broccoli and cabbage peppering our daily meals is full of impact.

Such diets help integrate dietary nucleotides to support immune cells.

The cross talk by gut microbes affecting immunity at mucosal linings are also diet dependent.

If we are mindful of our diets, it can crowd out potentially harmful disease-causing microbes.

Healthy microbes confer a gift of vigorous early immunity. When this is so, we may not have to call on vaccination-induced immunity should we be infected by the virus.

Such beneficial microbial actions may also partly clarify population-based variations observed in vaccination responses.

It is certainly not a myth that both balanced nutrition and complete vaccination are synergistic components in primary prevention.

Together with observing standard operating procedures, they remain our best bet in coping with infections and viral mutations.

* Dr Prameela Kannan Kutty is professor of paediatrics at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.