What foods can increase white blood cells in the blood - List of the 10 most effective

The state of health is largely determined by the functioning of the cardiovascular and circulatory systems of the body. One of the significant diagnostic indicators is the level of leukocytes.

The importance of leukocytes is due to the protective function they perform in the body. When a foreign body enters the body, leukocytes absorb it, causing, depending on the size and properties of the foreign body, symptoms of the inflammatory process, marking the body’s fight against the virus. The process may also be accompanied by an increase in body temperature, redness, swelling, etc.

It is the need to carry out a protective function that largely determines the importance of controlling and maintaining the level of leukocytes in the blood. A reduced level of white blood cells indicates a reduced ability of the body to resist diseases and viruses. At the same time, an excessively high level of leukocytes should also alert you, since this may indicate the presence of a disease.

In this article, we will discuss how you can regulate your white blood cell levels through changes in your diet and what you can do to raise them.

Why may white blood cells be low?

The presence and level of leukocytes in the blood is influenced by many factors. Among the main reasons for the decrease in their level are the following:

1. They die. In most cases, this occurs due to the redistribution of white blood cells to fight external infections. In addition, white blood cells can be destroyed due to intoxication caused by regular ingestion of small doses of poison (including alcohol), bacterial infections, etc.
2. They cease to be produced due to dysfunction of the bone marrow, which occupies a key position in the process of producing leukocytes. Leukopenia, which interferes with the normal functioning of the bone marrow, can be caused by tumors, poisoning, etc.
3. They stop being produced due to a lack of nutrients - caused by a lack of copper, iron, folic acid, and B vitamins in food.

The last listed reason most often prevents the production of leukocytes in sufficient quantities. A properly selected diet will help you cope with the situation. When planning a diet, it is imperative to consult a doctor, determine possible individual intolerances of the body, and concentrate on the basic needs of the body in order to prevent a further decrease in their level.

Causes and symptoms

Most often, the source of the disease is inhibition of leukocyte synthesis in the body. There are many factors that negatively affect the production of white blood cells. But there are those that occur most often:

1. Sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, liver cirrhosis and myelofibrosis.
2. Acute shortage of substances that are used by the body in synthesis: microelements, vitamins, proteins, arachidonic acid.
3. Autoimmune diseases, problems with the spleen and liver (for example: rheumatism, polyarthrosis, lupus erythematosus).
4. Serious infectious diseases: influenza, brucellosis, malaria, viral hepatitis, HIV and others. Leukocytes die in large numbers and simply do not have time to be replenished. In this case, the problem is aggravated by pathogenic microorganisms in the lymph nodes, which slow down the synthesis of white blood cells.
5. Taking certain groups of drugs for a long time: to regulate the functioning of the thyroid gland, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
6. Bone marrow problems: all malignant tumors, congenital diseases, damage due to autoimmune diseases.
7. Anaphylactic shock.
8. The influence of drugs used in a course of chemotherapy.
9. Irradiation.

Advice! Very often, the cause of a decrease in the level of leukocytes in a child is chickenpox or measles.

Sometimes it happens that during the examination no pathologies are detected. Then the problem lies in emotional, physical exhaustion or constant stress on the body. In case of violations, it is worth taking action; be sure to take the test again to monitor the changes.

It is worth noting that leukopenia most often indicates problems with the body and does not occur on its own. Impaired production of white blood cells is caused by various factors. When the level is reduced over a long period of time, immunity decreases and infectious diseases affect the body much more often.

What should you avoid?

In addition to including foods from the above groups in the diet, it is also necessary to ensure the exclusion of foods that cause a decrease in white blood cells. These include:

1. duck meat, beef, broilers, partridge;
2. liver of various animals and fish - despite the abundant iron content and beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, excessive consumption of liver has a negative effect on the level of white blood cells. In addition, the liver acts as a filter and only the liver of an animal raised on natural feed in an ecologically clean area can be eaten;
3. alcohol - despite the fact that cognac and dry red wine in limited quantities can have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, excessive amounts of it nullify all efforts to improve health;
4. sweets, baked goods - sugar has an extremely negative effect on the overall picture of blood composition;
5. other foods high in carbohydrates.

It is also worth giving up fast food, excessively fatty and salty foods. You should also not eat meat from animals and birds raised with artificial feed additives.

They need urgent help

Chemotherapy exposes the body to enormous stress. It significantly affects the circulatory system and actually changes the formula and structural composition of the blood. The number of leukocytes and hemoglobin decreases. These changes lead to a sharp decrease in immunity. The patient becomes more susceptible to infections than usual. The patient feels general weakness and gets tired quickly.

That is why after chemotherapy it is necessary to seriously increase hemoglobin and leukocytes in the blood. How to do this?

We increase leukocytes

If you choose the path of drug-induced increase in leukocytes, then you should pay attention to the following list of drugs that are usually prescribed for these purposes after chemotherapy: granacite, neupogen, which belong to the group of strong drugs. Leukogen is considered a less powerful drug.

And gentle drugs include imunofal and polyoxidonium.

Attention!!! We provide this list of drugs in this article so that you understand the purpose of the drug prescribed to you by your doctor! Under no circumstances should you “prescribe” these medications for yourself! Self-medication is extremely dangerous!

However, in addition to tablets and drops, it is possible to help the body through nutritional correction.

To raise white blood cells, you need to eat mussels, chicken and beef broths, vegetables, stewed or baked fish, beets, carrots, pumpkin and zucchini.

A simple dish: buckwheat with kefir (in the evening the cereal is poured, and in the morning it is ready to eat) – it very effectively increases white blood cells, it is useful for everyone who has undergone a course of chemotherapy.

Honey, as people say, contains the entire periodic table and is very useful in principle. Therefore, if you are not allergic to it, we highly recommend consuming it before meals; 40-60 grams is quite enough.

Consume a tablespoon of sprouted chicory and lentils twice a day and this will also significantly help the body and increase its immunity.

Among the delicacies, red fish and caviar, as well as light red wine in small quantities, will help improve blood composition and increase the body’s resistance. Experts recommend eating red vegetables, berries and fruits. For example, apples, currants, peppers, beets, etc.

A decoction of barley has literally miraculous properties. It is prepared like this: take one and a half glasses of grain for 2 liters of water. The broth is brought to a boil. Then let it bubble over low heat until the water has evaporated by 50%. The decoction is ready. It should be taken 3 times 50 ml during the day. The broth will only become more healing if you add honey or a little sea salt to it.

Review of other methods

Often, normalizing nutrition and including essential substances in the diet is not enough to maintain white blood cell levels. In this case, depending on the individual situation and at the discretion of the treating specialist, additional measures may be prescribed:

Drug treatment

Drug treatment is carried out using various methods, using various types of drugs, and is usually used when there is a significant lack of leukocytes and an urgent need to increase their content.

The action of some drugs is aimed at stimulating the production of substances necessary for the formation of leukocytes directly in the cell, while others trigger processes in the bone marrow. Only a doctor should make a decision about the possibility and necessity of taking drugs from both groups .

Health-improving physical activity

Health-improving physical activity, including in the fresh air, is prescribed as a support for therapeutic effects, promotes better absorption of nutrients, and improves body tone.

By playing sports and saturating the body with oxygen, the body’s ability to resist diseases increases and the immune system is strengthened.

Your doctor should give specific instructions on recommended exercise, frequency and duration of physical activity.

ethnoscience

Often, to increase the number of leukocytes in the blood, they resort to traditional medicine methods.

There are certain techniques that really help normalize the level of leukocytes. However, a decision on the possibility and necessity of their use must be made only with the consent of the doctor.

They take mumiyo, honey and other bee products for medicinal purposes. In addition, the consumption of various infusions and decoctions (for example, from oats, wormwood, chamomile, etc.) can have a positive effect.

Traditional medicine methods should not be used as the only treatment , but they can be used to strengthen and maintain the therapeutic effect.

Ways to increase leukocytes

You can quickly increase white blood cells in the blood in different ways, it all depends on the age, reasons and preferences of the person. All of them are equally effective if you follow the recommendations and use them according to the system. Sometimes they combine different methods to improve performance in the shortest possible time; this is easy to do at home, an outpatient regimen is not required.

Medicines

Use medications to raise the level of leukocytes in the blood only after visiting a doctor. He will prescribe a medicine based on the causes of the problem, the person’s well-being and other factors that may have an impact. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances, so as not to cause harm to the body instead of benefit. Use the following:

1. Leukogen, a drug that stimulates the production of leukocytes in the bone marrow. Available in tablet form, dosage – 20 mg. Take strictly according to the regimen prescribed by your doctor, usually the norm is 3 or 4 tablets per day. The course lasts until the indicators normalize, usually 10 days are enough. Sometimes you need to repeat the dose, but do this no earlier than 2 weeks after the first time.
2. Methyluracil, a universal remedy that improves recovery processes in the body. There are different release forms: tablets, ointments and suppositories. To increase leukocytes, the tablet version is best suited. Dosage – 500 mg, frequency of administration – from 4 to 6 times per day, it is determined by the doctor based on the state of health. Should be taken immediately after meals. The duration is also determined by the situation or by test results.
3. Eleutherococcus, a natural adaptogen with tonic properties. It is made in different forms: tablets, dragees, capsules, syrup or extract. The last two options should be taken half an hour before meals 2-3 times a day, after diluting in water according to the instructions from the package insert, do this for 2 to 4 weeks. As for tablets and capsules, you need 1-2 of them. twice a day with meals, the duration is prescribed individually (usually about 3 weeks).
4. Leukomax, a drug that affects the entire hematopoietic system as a whole and the activity of leukopoiesis. Release form: lyophilisate for preparing a solution that is injected into a vein or subcutaneously. The drug stimulates the production of blood cell precursors, which are used in the formation of blood. The dose is prescribed by the doctor and used once a day.
5. Filgrastin is a highly purified polypeptide, it contains 175 amino acids. A solution is made from it, which must be administered intravenously or subcutaneously. Administer once a day. As for the dosage, in order to increase the level of leukocytes in the blood, the doctor takes into account the characteristics of the patient’s condition and his reaction to the medicine.

You can usually return your readings to normal and stabilize your white blood cell production within 2-3 weeks. All this is done under the strict supervision of a doctor with constant testing for monitoring. Usually one drug is selected to improve performance; tablet versions are most often prescribed as they are easier to use. Solutions for intravenous or subcutaneous administration are prescribed individually.

Diet

There is a list of foods that increase leukocytes in the blood; if you correctly adjust your diet, you can achieve good results using this method. The advantage of this method is that it is not necessary to see a doctor when for some reason there is no such opportunity or it was not possible to buy the drugs. It is worth following simple tips:

1. Consume more high protein foods. Seafood, different types of fish, and meat broths are suitable. Another good option is fermented milk products; there is no need to limit them, except perhaps try not to eat in the evening, so as not to disrupt the digestion processes in the stomach during sleep.
2. An excellent solution for breakfast is regular buckwheat, which needs to be properly prepared. To do this, in the evening, rinse the cereal well, remove all the black grains, pour it into any container of a suitable size and fill it with kefir. In the morning it will be ready to eat.
3. Eat at least 2-3 walnuts per day. They contain many unsaturated Omega fatty acids, which increase cell protection against infections and other diseases. This is very important during the period when leukocytes in the blood are low and the body is vulnerable to infections.
4. Eat more fresh fruits, pomegranate is best. Also, if possible, consume red currants; they are suitable both fresh and frozen. All citrus fruits help increase the stability of cell membranes and stimulate improved blood cell production.
5. Vegetables you should use are carrots and beets. It's best raw, but it can be used in different dishes. Another option is juice from these crops, it contains many useful substances.
6. Red fish and its caviar have a good effect on blood formation. Try to eat these foods more often.

7. Drink juices or compotes. Suitable beetroot, carrot, pomegranate, ideally squeezed immediately before use. It is advisable to dilute them.
8. Use natural honey daily. Literally 2-3 spoons are enough, which should be eaten before the main meal. The second option is to take it in the evening; this is not only a product that raises white blood cells, but also a means of normalizing sleep.
9. Drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day. Do not use the tap version, the liquid must be purified, if there are no good filters, it is easier to buy a ready-made version in a large container. Distribute the entire volume evenly to constantly maintain water balance. It is advisable to drink 3-4 cups of green tea.
10. If possible, drink 100–150 ml of red wine every day, no more. Do this throughout the diet.
11. Lard with a high fat content does not accumulate cholesterol in the body. It is advisable to eat at least 100 g of it per day, this will improve blood production and serve as additional nutrition for cells.
12. Add dill to salads and hot dishes. It contains folic acid, copper and potassium. Use greens wherever possible. Use olive oil for dressing, as it improves the absorption of nutrients.
13. Prepare porridge every day. Various options are suitable, but it is better to give preference to barley, oatmeal and buckwheat.

Advice! If there is nowhere to get clean water, you can purify it by freezing it. Pour several liters into a plastic container, leave for 6 to 12 hours depending on the volume of the container, there should be a cavity inside with unfrozen liquid, which needs to be punched and drained. Thaw the rest and drink.

In order to raise white blood cells in a few days at home, you need to follow the advice on nutrition. There is nothing complicated here, but the following recommendations should not be neglected:

1. Plan your diet at least a day in advance, prepare food in advance. Use the maximum from the list above.
2. Eat at the same time every day. It is better to do this at least 5 times and in small portions than 3 times.
3. Don't forget to drink water throughout the day. The easiest way is to install an app with reminders, so you can control your drinking.
4. Exclude from the menu anything that has a bad effect on the production of leukocytes. The list is below.

There is a list of what is undesirable to eat during the diet. Some foods can help lower your white blood cell levels, while others are bad for your white blood cell production. The restrictions are:

1. Alcohol. The exception is a small amount of dry red wine; everything else should not be used at all until the end of treatment. It is also worth giving up smoking, or reducing tobacco consumption to a minimum.
2. High carbohydrate foods.
3. Baked goods and sweets. Sugar has a bad effect on blood composition; it is better to limit its consumption.
4. Liver of animals and fish. It has a bad effect on the production of leukocytes, it is better to abandon it altogether.
5. Beef, duck meat, broilers. Give preference to lean poultry.

You should avoid fast food and avoid eating too fatty, salty or spicy foods. If possible, do not fry meat, but boil or steam it. If there are foods that cause allergies in a person, then eliminate them completely.

Folk recipes

Folk remedies can raise leukocytes in the blood quite quickly. When the decrease in white blood cell levels is not very severe, this method will solve the problem. But still, it is better to first consult with a doctor and periodically undergo tests to monitor indicators. The recipes are:

1. A mixture of dark beer and sour cream. Pour about 250 ml of the drink (precisely dark), add 3 tablespoons of sour cream to it, mix well. Drink immediately after preparation, do this once a day. Usually 10-14 days are enough to improve performance.
2. Place half a liter of water on the stove, add 2 heaped tablespoons of unpeeled oats. Bring to a boil, simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Leave to cool at room temperature, strain through a bandage or gauze. Drink 125 ml 3 times a day before meals, duration – from 7 to 14 days.
3. Pour the chopped clover into a small container (about 2 tablespoons). Pour boiled water, cooled to warm (300–350 ml). Leave for 4-5 hours, then strain. Drink 60-70 ml three times a day before meals, do this for a month.
4. Wash, peel, and cut one medium-sized table beet (about 0.5 kg) into rings about a centimeter thick. Place in a wide container in 2-3 layers, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of salt on top and cover the surface with a thin layer of natural honey. Leave in a warm place for 3 days, then squeeze out, consume the resulting liquid 50 ml 3-4 times a day, consume the composition for at least 2 weeks.
5. Pour 4 tablespoons of dry wormwood into a container and add a liter of boiling water. Leave for 5 hours, then strain. Take 20 ml 3 times a day before meals. If the wormwood infusion is too unpleasant and difficult to drink, replace it with medicinal chamomile.

6. Collect plantain leaves, rinse well under the tap and dry on an absorbent cloth. Then pour boiling water over it, pass through a meat grinder or food processor, another option is to grind it in a blender. Squeeze through a sieve to remove solids and simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Use a tablespoon four times a day for 2-3 weeks.
7. Dissolve 20 g of royal jelly under the tongue 2 times a day for 2 weeks. It is better to do this in the morning and evening. This option should not be used for any infectious diseases.
8. Prepare a medicinal composition from pollen and natural honey in a ratio of 2:1. Store the finished composition in the refrigerator, eat about a teaspoon per day, washed down with milk.
9. Collect unripe bean pods and squeeze the juice out of them. You can simply grind and squeeze out the liquid. Consume 1-2 tablespoons in the morning on an empty stomach for about 7-10 days.
10. Pour 75 g of washed flaxseed into 2 liters of clean water, put on the stove, and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, then let cool to room temperature, strain through cheesecloth. Drink 100 ml three times a day for 2-3 weeks.
11. Collect dandelion roots (40 g) and kupena (10 g), currant leaves (10 g). Rinse well, chop and mix. Pour a tablespoon of the prepared product into a glass of hot water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Cool, filter, take 80 ml three times a day for 15-20 days.
12. Pour 10-12 tablespoons of dry or fresh rose hips into 2 liters of clean water. Place on the stove, bring to a boil, hold for 10-15 minutes over low heat. Let cool, remove berries. Drink instead of tea or water throughout the day.
13. Collect equal parts of nettle, sweet clover and horsetail greens. Rinse, chop and mix until smooth. Add water at the rate of one glass per tablespoon of greens, bring to a boil, then let cool and filter. Drink half a glass three times a day, for a period of 2 to 3 weeks.
14. Drink 5-7 quail eggs every day. This is a good way to nourish the body when there are low leukocytes in the blood.

Advice! It is better to buy pollen, royal jelly and honey directly from beekeepers. This is the only way to guarantee the quality of these products.

Using folk remedies, you can increase white blood cells in the blood almost as quickly as with medications. But most often, all the described options are used as an addition to the main treatment or diet to ensure effect. You need to select a recipe individually, it all depends on the availability of certain components.

Eliminating deficiency in children

All procedures must be done only under the supervision of a doctor. First, you need to conduct a study and take tests to identify the cause of the decrease in the level of white blood cells. Only after identifying the problem should treatment be prescribed, most often these are drugs to restore immunity and strengthen it to normalize the process of blood synthesis:

1. Lykopid, an immune modulator, is available in tablet form. Take half an hour before meals; the doctor prescribes the frequency, dose, and duration of treatment individually. It all depends on the age, condition of the child, and the medications he takes additionally.
2. Broncho-munal, another immunomodulator drug, is produced in the form of capsules with two dosage options - 3.5 and 7 mg. Use in the morning on an empty stomach, usually once a day. The details of the treatment are prescribed by the doctor.
3. Immunal is produced in tablets or solution based on natural ingredients. The dosage regimen and frequency are selected by the pediatrician depending on age and health status. For young children, the tablets can be crushed to make them easier to take. The period is usually from 2 to 4 weeks.
4. IRS 19 is an aerosol preparation with a slight odor. To raise the level of leukocytes in the blood, inject 1 time into each nostril once a day. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks, after which you need to take tests and monitor your indicators.

Advice! All liquid formulations should be diluted to make it easier for the child to drink them. And if he cannot swallow the capsules, open them, pour the contents into a spoon and take with water.

To be effective, it is worth supplementing treatment with diet or folk remedies. You can adjust your diet yourself, and use any additional compounds to normalize the leukocyte formula only after consultation with your pediatrician. It is worth constantly maintaining immunity with the help of vitamin complexes, consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Treatment after chemotherapy

Such courses have a bad effect on blood composition and immunity. Therefore, procedures are needed to restore the level of leukocytes. This is an important process on which rapid recovery and protection from diseases depend. All procedures are prescribed by a doctor; recommendations should not be violated. You need the following:

1. Medicines to restore the leukocyte formula, colony-stimulating drugs are best suited. They stimulate the production of white blood cells and significantly extend their lifespan. The following options are prescribed: Lenograstim, Molgrastim, Pentoxyl, Methyluracil, Filgrastin, Neupogen, Leucomax, etc.
2. Follow the diet throughout the entire period of treatment. Use the products recommended above, try to form a menu only from them, avoid everything that has a bad effect on hematopoietic processes. Eat at the same time every day, and remember to drink plenty of purified water. Consume more fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs.
3. Every morning before breakfast, eat 100 g of grated carrots with sour cream and honey. Use other folk remedies only if approved by your doctor. Choose 2-3 products that are easier to make and more convenient to take. You can try different solutions, find those that give an effect, since different people react to the drug differently.
4. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Mandatory walks in the fresh air and physical activity should also be included, but it should be agreed with the doctor in order to receive benefits for the body and not overload it. Limit contact with sick people, wear a gauze bandage in crowded places, any diseases during this period are undesirable.
5. Constantly monitor indicators, monitor dynamics and make adjustments to treatment if necessary. When one drug does not give the desired effect, it is better to try another or add additional folk remedies to improve the production of white blood cells.
6. It’s good to rest and get enough sleep so that the body recovers and all processes go correctly. Take medications to improve immunity.

In such situations, you need to act individually, it all depends on your state of health, the pace of recovery after chemotherapy courses and the levels of white blood cells in the blood. Follow all instructions of your doctor, especially when using drugs with strong effects.

What to do during pregnancy

To increase leukocytes in the blood of a pregnant woman, a number of conditions must be observed and not pose a danger to the development of the fetus. It is important to quickly respond to leukopenia, since during this period the body’s protective abilities weaken, and the likelihood of disease increases greatly. If you do everything correctly, the problem can be solved quickly:

1. Consult your doctor and choose a treatment option. If there is a strong decrease, it will not be possible to do without special medications; not all of them are suitable for pregnant women. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances, use only what is prescribed by a specialist.
2. For minor deviations, use traditional recipes or a diet to correct the leukocyte formula. It is worth constantly sticking to a healthy diet, this will help eliminate problems. But even such options must be agreed upon with the doctor, and then the indicators must be monitored to understand whether the treatment is effective.
3. Try to constantly eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Preferring the above will help support the synthesis of blood cells in the bone marrow.

Advice! It is useful to drink pomegranate juice every day, but it is better to use it not in concentrated form, but diluted with water.

It is not difficult to raise the level of leukocytes in the blood if there are no infections or other problems in the body. You need to constantly monitor indicators and take tests in order to detect the problem at the very beginning, then solving it is much easier. But during pregnancy, choose medications that will not harm the baby.