what kind of plant or vegetables are good for your T cells or help with repairing the T cells?

Answer 1

Much has been written about the role of vitamin C in supporting the immune system, in part because it has been promoted as an immune stimulant. Vitamin C appears to support a decrease in the length of time and severity of symptoms associated with upper respiratory viral infections, promote phagocytic cell functions, and support healthy T-cell function. Vitamin C also provides antioxidant activity to support healing at sites of inflammation. An excellent source of vitamin C is citrus fruit. Many vegetables are also excellent sources of vitamin C, such as fresh parsley, raw cauliflower, mustard greens and Romaine lettuce.

Many of the B-vitamins are also very important in supporting a healthy immune system. For example, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) promotes the production and release of antibodies from B-cells, and deficiency of vitamin B5 results in reduced levels of circulating antibodies. Folic acid deficiency leads to a decrease in T-cells and can result in reduced effectiveness of the soluble factors as well. Vitamin B6 deficiency consistently impairs T-cell functioning and results in a decrease in blood lymphocyte counts. Deficiencies in vitamins B1(thiamin) and B2 (riboflavin) may impair normal antibody response, and low vitamin B12 appears to inhibit phagocytic cells and possibly T-cell function.

Almost all whole grains, vegetables and fruits can serve as excellent sources of at least some of these vitamins, but some vegetables are particularly beneficial since they are excellent sources of many of these immune-supporting vitamins. In particular, Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, C, and folate. Cooked turnip greens and boiled spinach are excellent sources of folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. And cooked cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C and folate and a very good source of vitamin B5 and B6. Raw crimini mushrooms are also an excellent source of vitamin B2 and vitamin B5. Red bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin B6. Vitamin B12 can be obtained from protein-providing foods such as fish, shellfish, venison and calf's liver.

The fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin K are also important to overall health. Vitamin A deficiency has been shown to impair antibody function and T-cell activity. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant and supports a healthy inflammatory response. Vitamin E is also an important component of all cell membranes and promotes healthy cellular functioning overall. T-cells and B-cells from vitamin E-deficient animals show depressed responses, and tumors have been shown to grow faster in vitamin-E deficient animals. Vitamin K supports a healthy blood-clotting ability in your body, and this is necessary for seclusion of areas of infections and injury in the healing process. Cooked turnip greens and boiled mustard greens, mentioned above, are also excellent sources of vitamins E and A, as well as boiled Swiss chard. Other excellent sources of vitamin A include many vegetables such as spinach, fresh parsley and carrots. Concentrated sources of vitamin K include raw cauliflower, as well as most green vegetables such as spinach and asparagus.

Many other minerals are important in supporting immune function. Clinical research studies have shown that iron deficiency results in impaired response to antibodies, and defective phagocytic cell functioning. Copper deficiency is associated with an increase in infections and may impair development of immune cells such as T-cells and the phagocytic cells. Selenium and manganese are important for supporting healing from inflammation and may be immunostimulants. Selenium can be obtained from fish and shellfish, as well as tofu and whole grains. Excellent sources of copper are turnip greens, calf's liver and raw crimini mushrooms, and very good sources include spinach, asparagus and summer squash and boiled Swiss chard. Iron can be provided by fresh parsley, spices such as thyme or cinnamon, tofu, beans and peas, and many other vegetables such as spinach and Romaine lettuce.

Answer 2

I heard a doctor talk about this. He had many patients that were HIV+ and he put them on Juice Plus and they were doing well with little or no t-cells. Juice Plus is fruits and veggies in a capsule. You take them with water. Basically they have carrots, beets, kale, spinach, and in the fruit, apples, cherries, etc. You can read about it and about the studies that have been done.
http://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/pages/RichardDuBois.soa

Answer 3

T Cell Deficiencies

DiGeorge's Syndrome

T cell defects can be caused by the failure of development at several places along the pathway. Since T cells mature in the thymus, failure of development or function of this organ will also result in T cell dysfunction. These patients are at great risk when live, attenuated viruses; e.g., attenuated measles virus, are used in vaccinations, since they are not able to prevent the spread of even the attenuated viruses.

DiGeorge's syndrome results from partial or complete failure of development of the thymus and parathyroids. In the complete form, there is no para-thormone, calcium regulation is lacking, and the diagnosis may be made within a few hours of birth when the child goes into hypocalcemic tetany. Associated cardiac deformities and abnormal facies may also result in early diagnosis. The patient presents within one or two months with recurrent viral infections and persistent, refractory mucocutaneous candidiasis. Other fungal infections may also be present. The T cell areas in the lymph nodes are depleted and there is usually a mild lymphopenia; the thymic shadow may be absent in a lateral chest x-ray. Blood lymphocytes are not reactive to the T cell mitogens concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin. Treatment with periodic (about every 3-6 months) injections of thymic hormones has been effective. Transplants of fetal thymic tissue has also been used with some success.

Nezelof's Syndrome

Nezelof's syndrome (also known as thymic dysplasia) results from defective thymus function; probably some thymic hormone secreting cells are not present or are not functional. The T cells are probably somewhat more mature than those in DiGeorge's syndrome, and treatment with thymic hormones is more successful. However, fetal (prior to the fourteenth week of gestation) thymus transplants are probably the treatment of choice. Nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency is characterized by a severe T cell dysfunction with associated depletion in circulating T cells. The T cells are not responsive in vitro to the normal T cell mitogens. Immunoglobulin levels may be normal, elevated, or decreased. The severity of the disease varies with different patients, but development of recurrent infections may occur as early as 4 months after birth.

CD3 deficiency

This rare deficiency results in a severe deficiency including humoral deficiencies since Th cells are also affected. CD3 is the part of the antigen receptor that transduces the signal that antigen has been bound by the antigen receptor. Thus, the T cells are unable to respond to antigen.

Ataxia-Telangectasia

Ataxia-Telangectasia is an autosomal recessive trait in which there are defects in both the cellular and humoral arms of the immune response. Deficiency or absence of serum and secretory IgA and IgE is common. Other Ig abnormalities, including IgG subclass deficiency, may also be present. Patients usually present in early life to neurologists because of ataxia; recurrent infections and development of telangiectasia occur between the ages of 3 and 8 years. The defect is in a gene involved in repair of DNA breaks.

Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is an X-linked recessive defect that affects both cellular and humoral immunity. It is characterized by the triad of 1) severe thrombocytopenia often associated with bleeding, 2) recurrent infections with all classes of microorganisms, and 3) eczema. Immunoglobulin levels are variable but most often include a pattern of IgM of about one half of normal, increased IgE and IgA, and normal IgG. Cellular immunity is initially intact but may become profoundly depressed; response to cell mitogens is initially normal.

CD43 (sialophorin), a surface glycoprotein, has been reported absent, reduced or abnormal on patient lymphocytes and platelets. It enhances the antigen specific signaling of T cells through its interaction with ICAM-1.

Recent reports of defective CD23 in these patients is also of interest. This protein is a receptor for the Fc piece of IgE (FcRII). It is found on lymphocytes, monocytes, and platelets, the cells responsible for the triad of symptoms mentioned above. Lack of CD23 may result in early clearance of these cells.

(The only really effective treatment has been bone marrow transplant).