This book focuses on the influence of diet on the immune system and how altering one's diet helps prevent and treat infections and chronic diseases. It reviews basic immunology and discusses changes in immune function throughout the lifecycle.

Innate immunity - an overview. Cell-mediated immunity - an overview. The gut-associated lymphoid system. The role of the immune system in nutrition-related lifestyle diseases. Obesity, immunity, and infection. Role of immune cells in adipose tissue. Influence of infection and inflammation on nutrient status. Undernutrition, infection, and poor growth in infants and children. The thymus as a window on malnutrition. Immunity in anorexia. Breast milk and infant immune maturation. Interactions between probiotic bacteria and gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Prebiotics, probiotics, and response to vaccination. Prebiotics, immunity, and infection in infants and children. Mechanisms of immune regulation by vitamin A. Vitamin A, immunity, and infection in children. Vitamin C and infectious disease. Vitamin D and antimicrobial immunity. Vitamin D and control of autoimmunity. Vitamin E and T cell function. Iron, immunity, and infection. Selenium and the immune response. Zinc regulation of the immune response. Short chain fatty acids, G-protein coupled receptors and immune cells. Omega-3 fatty acids and T cell responses. Novel immunoregulatory mediators produced from omega-3 fatty acids. Arginine and cell-mediated immunity. Nitric oxide and the immune system. Glutamine and the immune system. Glutathione, immunity, and infection. Nucleotides and the immune system. Gangliosides and immune maturation. Plant phenolics and immunity. Immunomodulatory effects of beta-glucans from fungi. AHCC and immune responses. Immunoenhancing formulas for hospitalized patients. Nutrition and the aging immune system. Nutrition interaction with environmental stress and immunity. AHCC and autoimmune Sjogren's disease. Nutrition and immunity in the global health arena.