Fight Illness with Food

As the COVID-19 pandemic escalates, health and immunity are on the minds of many. You wash your hands, drink lots of water, exercise, get your flu shot, and are social distancing. But what what else can you do to stay healthy? An often overlooked contributor to immunity is food! Making sure to incorporate and avoid certain foods into your routine is a powerful way to further protect you and your family from illness.

Before we dive into which nutrients to eat, it’s important to note which to avoid. The most important thing to remember is to avoid processed foods. Because they are stripped of many valuable nutrients during processing, these foods lack many of the components that are essential for a strong immune system. Even worse, many of the chemicals added back into these foods worsen inflammation and are challenging to metabolize, further straining immune function. What is considered a processed food? Foods that have been changed in nutritional composition with fortifying, preserving, and preparation. While there are processed foods that can be part of a balanced diet, avoid the following on a regular basis: soft drinks, juice, foods containing added sugars, artificial sweeteners, refined grains, energy drinks, packaged snacks and desserts, frozen meals, chips, crackers, candy, and fried foods.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Fruits and vegetables are rich in a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and polyphenols. Ensure you are getting all of these valuable nutrients by “eating the rainbow.” Did you know that different colors of produce signify the presence of different vitamins and minerals? Fruits and vegetables help to reduce oxidation and inflammation, improve cellular repair and function, improve blood flow, and improve insulin sensitivity.

Immunity Superfoods: spinach and leafy greens, red bell peppers, broccoli, ginger, garlic, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples, citrus fruits, papaya, turmeric, and Matcha.

NUTS & SEEDS

Nuts and seeds are great sources of many of the nutrients that help to strengthen immune function, such as omega 3 fatty acids, nicotinamide, vitamin E, vitamin C, ellagic acid, and fiber.

Immunity Superfoods: almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, and chia seeds.

PROTEIN

In addition to being essential for muscle growth and retention, protein-rich foods are abundant in vitamins and minerals that promote immunity. Focus on getting protein from a variety of sources, both plant- and animal-based. Fiber, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, collagen, and B vitamins are just a few of the helpful nutrients found in protein-rich foods.

Immunity Superfoods: fish, legumes, beans, turkey, chicken, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and bone broth.

WHOLE GRAINS

Whole grains provide the body with readily available energy, are a great source of B vitamins, are rich in fiber, and do not cause inflammation like their refined counterparts.

Immunity Superfoods: brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and whole oats.