Immunity boosting food
THIS time of year we are all more prone to time off work or school with flux of colds and flu viruses doing the rounds. The best form of defence in this case is preventative medicine and a healthy diet is known to help by improving your immunity. Experts now agree that eating a diet rich in natural foods, enhances our health and helps ward off common complaints such as coughs and colds
Every January and February, when the very cold weather hits, my son has time off school with ear infections. These invariably start with a cold or flu virus that takes out everyone in the house. I like to think we eat a relatively healthy diet in this house, so what more can we do to boost our immune system and sail through the freezing winter on a yacht of good health? According to Professor Ron Eccles of Cardiff’s Common Cold Centre it is a straight forward equation. “The healthier you are, the better you are at fighting infection. Wholefoods provide a complete nutritional package which are better for you than supplements. A balanced diet improves your health.”
In our time poor society many of us reach for the freezer for a quick midweek meal but these pre cooked, processed foods are low in health giving nutrients and high in toxic additives like preservatives and flavourings. It is especially important at this time of year to encourage a healthy immune system and it can be directly strengthened by what you eat. In children the immune system isn’t fully developed until they are 14 years old, which is why younger children are more susceptible to illnesses and infections.
GMTV presenter Lorraine Kelly has written extensively about nutrition and has just released a new book called Healthy Children's Eating Plan: Change Your Children's Eating Habits in 6 Weeks and for Life ,she says, “When it comes to our children, it has never been more vital to ensure that we do the very best for them. We are teetering on the brink of an obesity epidemic. Unless there is a major change in eating habits, more than a quarter of the next generation are piling up horrific health problems for the future. As parents we must take responsibility. I don’t think it is realistic or desirable to ban them completely from eating sweets and crisps, but these foods should be looked upon as treats and not something to be guzzled every single day.”
Lorraine points out that we have never had so much information available to us about what sort of food we should be eating to keep ourselves and our families healthy, but says it is sometimes contradictory and confusing. “People end up wondering exactly what we should be doing for the best. Low-fat diet foods and drinks are often shockingly loaded with sugar and although food labels are a good idea they are often so confusing we are still in the dark as to just how good or bad certain foods are for us.” For example, Lorraine says that many mums might give their kids fruit bars instead of confectionary because they claim to have no added sugar so they believe them to be better. “Not so,” exclaims Lorraine, “These bars are made from concentrated fruit purée and juice, in other words, sugar. These are no better for them than ordinary sugar and due to their stickiness just as damaging to their teeth.
Lorraine suggest parents give their children five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables daily to ensure they are getting enough antioxidants and says it’s a good idea to eat as many different coloured varieties every day as possible. “ The food you eat can help boost your immune system, help you have a good night’s sleep and also provide comfort. We have to make sure we are eating a diet that will help us live a long, healthy, happy life.”
“In order to develop and thrive, a child’s immune system needs to be nourished by essential nutrients,” says Lucy Burney a nutritional consultant and author of Super Foods for Healthy Kids. “Essential nutrients have immune boosting qualities and these are found in wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, lean meat, fish, nuts and seeds. Foods that are unhelpful to your child’s immune system and will impede its function include salt, sugar and saturated fat.”
If the body is deficient in any of these immune boosting nutrients there are certain tell-tale signs in the body. For example, if you are lacking in vitamin A you may be inclined to have more infections, mouth ulcers or dry skin. Vitamin B is known to be good for nervous disorders and, again, a deficiency might be shown through poor skin or a lack of energy. Allergies, bleeding gums and recurrent infections are a sign the body may be deficient in vitamin C and intolerance to the cold, fatigue and poor appetite are all signs that you may have an iron deficiency.
In addition to having these properties some nutrients also have anti oxidant effects. A normal balanced diet provides us with anti-oxidants which help fight off free radicals found in the atmosphere which attack cells and cause disease. However sometimes the body is over whelmed by free radicals and we need to stock up on anti oxidants to fight it. Lucy explains, “Free radicals are a by-product of combustion and occur as a result of the body’s normal metabolism and can be kept in check by your diet. However the production of free radicals can be increased by infection or environmental factors such as pollution, cigarette smoke, or burnt and fried food. If the body is overwhelmed by free radicals the immune system can be compromised and disease can occur.” The nutrients found to be rich in free radical fighting anti-oxidants are vitamins A and E, selenium and zinc. Foods that have these include chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk and seeds.
Most nutritionists would advice parents to play to their children’s health when it comes to healthy eating. For example, Sam my teenager would hate the idea of being fed food just because it is healthy but as he loves walnuts these can slipped on all manner of dishes. I add them to salads, wrap some in foil and add to his packed lunch or combine with cheese for sandwiches. Walnuts are rich in vitamin E and selenium, as well as being an excellent anti oxidant it is also good for the skin. They also contain essential fatty acids, essential because they can only be obtained directly through diet and they are vital for the proper functioning of the immune system.
Avocados, squash and some pulses including chickpeas, oats and lentils are also rich in anticarcinogenic phytonutrients. Anticarcinogenic foods are those thought to be helpful in preventing cancer and Phytonutrients are the substances derived from plant-based food that have been shown to be especially beneficial to health. They are the biologically active compounds found in plants that can help prevent disease and keep a person in optimum health. It is still an emerging science and very important in the study of nutrition. Around 12,000 phytonutrients have so far been identified and they commonly be found in brightly coloured fruit and vegetables such as apricot, orange, broccoli, red peppers and spinach.
Adding a portion of broccoli to your diet may also help prevent cancer due to it being high in the anti oxidant beta-carotene which belongs to the phytonutrients known as carotenoids. Researchers have indentified 600 carotenoids and six of them, beta-carotene being one, are thought to be particularly beneficial to health. They help fight heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. However you may find that your little ones are as resistant to a green sprig of broccoli as they are to bedtimes. Jennifer Lawrence, mum to three boys, Brook 17, Ethan, 5 and Finlay 6 has found an easy way to tackle the problem. “I often blend vegetables into the food we have and even puree it first if I have to. I add pureed broccoli and kale to stews or soups and because we are vegetarian I add diced carrots and tomatoes in to veggi burgers and bakes.”
Nutritionist and author of the Top 100 Healing Foods, Paula Bartimeus says many foods are now known to have amazing medical properties and she says some have scientifically proven benefits. She say, “ Most experts now agree that eating a diet rich in natural, health giving foods can ward common complaints like coughs, cold and infection.” Paula also advocates eating plenty of beta-carotene’s such as parsley, kale, mango and watercress. “Watercress is particularly helpful because it possesses unique compound called PEITC,” she says. “This has been found to inhibit the growth of cancer and to kill existing cancerous cells as well.” According to Paula, spinach is also a powerhouse of nutrients that can protect the body from several degenerative diseases due to the flavonoid anti oxidants it contains. It may reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes and cancer as well as protecting against age related eye diseases.
A lack of vitamin D in our diets is now thought to contribute to the high levels of colds and flu in the winter. Unlike other vitamins that are sourced mainly from our food, vitamin D is sourced through sunlight, of which there is precious little at this time of year. Scientists have found that vitamin D stimulates the production of substances that fight virus and help keep lungs free of infection. If you can’t afford to sojourn in the Bahamas through the winter months, or even get away to Spain then you’ll need to top up with vitamin D in your food. Eating plenty of eggs, oily fish and shiitake mushrooms should help. Yoghurt will help replenish the good bacteria in the body, and is also an excellent source of calcium, a mineral essential for a healthy immune system.
Good health is not simply an absence of disease, but a state of being that enables you to live life to the full. Nature is a treasure trove of nutrients to support your good health and help you live entirely disease free. So next time you feel under the weather, go to the fridge instead of the medicine cabinet and see how quickly Mother Nature can restore you to health.
Top immunity boosting foods include;
Green leaves and veg such as watercress, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli are immunity boosting
Other salad foods like tomatoes, asparagus, carrots and artichoke are also good immunity boosters
Fruits such as tangerine, grapefruit, lemon kiwi and berries not only boost the immunity but are good for the skin as well.
Yoghurt, known to be useful for gastrointestinal conditions, yogurt contains probiotics that are ‘good’ bacteria called lactobacillus that enhance the immune system.
Spice up your dinner with these immunity boosting flavour enhancers, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, tumeric and mint.
Top Superfoods
Although still debatable as a recognised nutritional term, some foods are thought to be more beneficial to good health then others, here’s a few of them.
Broccoli is referred to as a superfood due to its high nutrient content it helps prevent infections and has anti viral and anti bacteria qualities.
Salmon, a source of good quality protein, vitamins and minerals, it reduces the chances of having a heart attack. Oily fish also contains omega 3 that is good for the brain and reduces depression.Apples, one a day can certainly help keep the doctor away. It reduces the risk of several cancers and helps to lower cholesterol. Anti oxidants in the skin help prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Honey, often used as an alternative sugar honey is also thought to contain healing properties. Added to lemon and hot water it soothes sore throats and appears to improve anti oxidants in the blood.
Turkey, happily for those of us who recently ate loads of it, contains many minerals and nutrients that are beneficial to us including selenium that is rarely found in food.
Protection from free radicals
Number one defender is the blueberry. Research says it is the best at neutralising cancer forming substances in the body and it has properties that make it a potent anti oxidant. Blueberry muffin anyone?
Prunes are not only for those with bowls issues they are also a rich phytonutrient which zap free rads and protect cells against damage and slow the aging process.
Pomegranate protects from free radicals which cause cell damage that leads to cancer. It also has anti viral and bacterial properties and it lowers cholesterol.