22 Mar Protecting yourself: eating for your immune system

You’re practicing social distancing. You’re going stir crazy in your house. You’ve washed your hands till they’re chapped. You bought every roll of toilet paper you could find.

Is there any other way to protect yourself from the dreaded virus?

Yes. You can strengthen your immune system. Every day of your life, all sorts of pathogens, germs, fungi, mold, and viruses enter your body. They’re in the air, in the food you eat, and on the surfaces you touch. But you don’t get sick everyday. Why not? Your immune system protects you.

So we need to support our immune system by eating well, sleeping well, moving, and de-stressing. How many times have you gotten “run down” and then got sick? That’s because you went through a stressful period, and you didn’t support your health, your immune system suffered, and you caught a bug. The good news is you can build up your immune system and make catching a virus less likely and recovery more likely.

I have been reading the blogs of many functional medicine experts. These doctors seek to address the root causes of disease, which often lie in lifestyle choices. The recommendations for preventing and treating the virus usually involve supplements. But note that getting quality supplements can be a challenge, and getting nutrients directly from food is often more effective. So I’m going to share with you the foods that provide the nutrients that support your immune system.

Foods to Support Your Immune System

Vitamin C. This vitamin is being used for prevention and treatment of the virus. I take the supplements and I would get a vitamin C IV if I get infected. But there are plenty of high vitamin C foods to eat: red bell peppers have twice as much C as oranges, which are famous for C. Exotic fruit such as kiwi, guava, papaya, and mango are good choices. Green bell pepper, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and parsley are high in C. Fermented cabbage, AKA sauerkraut, is a good source of C plus probiotics. Citrus is good too, of course.

Vitamin D. This is the sunshine vitamin. So get in the sun. You can’t go to the gym or yoga class, so walk around. Use sunscreen only if you really need it–that is, don’t burn, but a little sun exposure can be healing and preventative. Florence Nightingale put her patients in the hospital courtyard and it made a difference. Food sources are fish, liver, eggs, and mushrooms.

Minerals, especially zinc. You’ve probably seen zinc supplements and lozenges in the drug store for colds. You might consider them now. A great food source of minerals is bone broth or meat stock. You can buy it by the carton (look for no sugar and no additives if possible) or you can make it yourself. See the recipe here. I love broth. I make soup almost every time I cook. And I know you’re cooking more often now because restaurants are closed. The minerals from the bones seep into the broth, and then you consume the minerals. You can even have broth by the mug–especially satisfying if you’re doing some intermittent fasting.

Quercetin. This may be unfamiliar or odd sounding, but it’s an antioxidant. And it’s really useful for making sure that zinc gets into the cells where it can do the most good. It’s actually very common in that you can get quercetin from onions, kale, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries, and apples, plus red wine and tea.

Vitamin A. This comes from the orange, yellow, and red veggies: butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, apricots. Also high in A are kale, spinach, broccoli. Non-veggie sources of A include liver, eggs, and butter. Liver has been called a vitamin pill in a bite (notice it’s a source of D too). If you don’t eat meat, definitely consider eggs and grass fed, organic butter. All these are yummy ways to get a powerful antioxidant and immune booster.

Healthy fats. Since I just mentioned butter, let’s think about fats. Man-made oils like canola, corn oil, and margarine are the fats that are more likely to contribute to disease. Olive oil is an excellent choice. Healthy fats are good for the nervous system, which you need because of the stress we’re all under. And they support the mucosal membranes (inside your nose, your mouth, eyes, etc.) where a virus can take up residence.

Water. Stay hydrated for the same reason–keep your mucosal membranes moist and healthy–and resistant to infection.

Protein. Meats and beans are the building blocks of the body. Give your body what it needs and it will keep you healthy.

All of this is easier said than done. So contact me. I can help you form healthy habits. That’s what coaches do. We’re behavior change experts. Now you need all the support you can get since our world is turned upside down. I have the training and experience to be there for you. I’m Board Certified and I teach health coaching at Delgado.

 

Comments: Which of these foods do you enjoy?

 

Natural Health 365 Vitamin solution

WebMD Quercetin

Dr. Axe Vitamin C foods

Dr. Axe Vitamin D foods

Dr. Axe Vitamin A foods

 

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