Winter has arrived, and with it comes the season of cold and flu viruses! And if you have kids, it’s hard to avoid them. I am going into the second winter with my daughter in nursery, the first was a shock. I think as a family we had to deal with one of us being ill nearly every week for the full season. SO, I am definitely going to be prepared this year.
Our immune system is influenced by many different lifestyle factors – our diet, not getting enough sleep, stress, alcohol and so on. In most cases, our immune system does a great job of keeping us healthy and fighting off infections. But sometimes it needs a bit of help. I think food is a good one to start with, eating a healthy whole foods diet is important in supporting our immune system.
Foods to Support our Immune System
Nutrition is so important for supporting a healthy immune system. There is no one single food that we can eat that will prevent us from catching viruses, but we can support our immune system by eating a well rounded diet rich in essential nutrients.
They are so many foods that we can eat to support our immune system, but rather than give you a massive list of foods, here are some of my favourite immune boosting foods that will appear in my diet this winter.
- Citrus Fruits – rich in vitamin C, essential for a healthy immune system. Swap one of your snacks for a piece of fruit.
- Lemons – I know this is a citrus fruit, but they deserve a mention on their own. They have so many health benefits including being an excellent source of vitamin C and can also have an alkalizing effect on the body which helps to remove toxins and maintain health. Squeeze some lemon into a cup of hot water in the morning, or add some lemon juice to your cooking.
- Ginger – has anti-inflammatory properties and is a strong antioxidant which helps kill viruses. Crush some ginger into your hot water and lemon or add to your cooking (soups/curry etc).
- Garlic – helps kill bacteria and viruses. Mince some garlic into your cooking, or add some cloves to your tray of veg and roast them.
- Onion – rich source of quercetin which helps to support the immune system. Add to a salad or saute them with your cooking.
- Turmeric – powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Add a little to your hot water and lemon, make turmeric tea, add to your smoothies or to your cooking.
- Green Tea – full of antioxidants which helps towards a healthy immune system. Swap one your daily cups of coffee for green tea.
- Leafy Greens – packed with a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all important for supporting immune health. Add some veg to your evening meal or make a green smoothie.
- Nuts and Seeds – eating a variety of hazelnuts, almonds, brazil, pecans, pumpkin & sunflower seeds will provide a good source of vitamin E, zinc and selenium. All helping towards supporting your immune system. Sprinkle some nuts and seeds on to your breakfast or carry them with you as a snack.
- Natural Yogurt (with live cultures) – good source of probiotics, which can help balance the healthy bacteria in your gut, helping support your immune system (70% of your immune system is found in your gut!). Mix with nuts, seeds and fruit for a lovely breakfast or add to smoothies.
Is there one item of immune boosting food that you can select, and include in your diet this winter?
Are you looking to make some positive changes to your diet but have no idea where to start? Check out my coaching packages or book a free discovery call to see how we could work together.
Kerry x