Increase White Blood Cell Count

White blood cells, also referred to as leukocytes, are important components of the human immune system. Normal white blood cell count in the body of a full-grown adult is between 4 x 10⁹ and 1.1 x 10¹⁰ per liter of blood (i.e. 4000 to 10,000 WBC per micro-liter of blood). Alteration in WBC count is normally an indication of some problem in the body. White blood cell count lower than the normal count is an indicator of a weak immune system, which means that your body is vulnerable to several infectious diseases. In such circumstances, you will have to take measures to increase white blood cell count to the normally required amount, and this can be done by altering your daily diet and lifestyle.

Importance of White Blood Cells
WBCs play a vital role in defending us against various infections and foreign particles. They are produced from hematopoietic stem cells, which are multipotent cells located in the bone marrow, and found all over the body. There are different types of white blood cells, each of which is assigned a particular function:

• Neutrophils - Defend our body against bacteria
• Eosinophils - Defend our body against parasites
• Basophils - Function in allergic reactions
• Monocytes - Kill bacteria and destroy damaged cells
• Lymphocytes - Play an important role in producing antibodies

The importance of white blood cells in our body can be realized by the simple fact that even a common cold can turn lead to fatal diseases like pneumonia for a person with an extremely low white blood cell count.

How to Increase White Blood Cell Count?
Low white blood count, or leukopenia, is a condition characterized by decrease of white blood cells in the body to less than 3,500 WBCs per microliter of blood. Symptoms of low white blood cell count includes fever, cramps, diarrhea, sore gums, sneezing, sore throat, headache etc. This is a sign of a weak immune system, which is vulnerable to various infectious diseases. A person suffering from this condition has to put in some efforts to increase white blood cell count and bring it back to normal.

Eat Healthy Foods
The best method to increase leukocytes count is to include certain foods which increase white blood cell count as diet plays a vital role in such cases. These foods to increase white blood cell count naturally include vegetables, such as broccoli, pumpkin, carrots spinach, beet root, asparagus, cauliflower etc, and fruits, such as oranges, melons, strawberries, figs etc. Garlic is one of the most important health food to raise white blood cell count. It contains a substance known as allicin, which tends to boost white blood cell production, and simultaneously flush out all the microorganisms which cause various diseases. Dairy products, lean meat and fish also prove to be helpful in order to increase white blood cell count. The diet should include all the essential nutrients required by the body and a proper ratio would be 2:1, wherein 2 parts should be fruits and vegetables and 1 part should be meat and fish.

Keep Yourself Active
Other than a proper diet, an active lifestyle is the key to increase WBC count. Exercising doesn't just help in increasing WBC count, but also ensures that the existing WBCs are strengthened. If you can't devote enough time for exercises, you should at least ensure that you indulge in some moderate to rigorous physical activity for at least half an hour a day. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle tends to hamper your immune system to a great extent. If you are using any prescribed medications, such as diuretics or antihistamines, discontinuing use of these medications will also show a significant rise in white blood cell count.

An individual suffering from leukopenia can resort to above mentioned measures to increase white blood cell count. At the same time, he will also have to take some precautionary measures, such as staying away from ill people and maintaining personal hygiene, in order to ensure that he doesn't contract any infectious diseases. A vulnerable immune system is a very serious matter and if not treated at the earliest, there are high chances that it may lead to further complications, which may reach a point of no return.