We take a look at what foods we can eat to keep us protected and boost our health
The key to boosting your immune system may not lie in various pills but in nature’s very own garden instead. Whilst eating fruits and vegetables high in vitamins and minerals won’t give you total immunity from coughs, colds and flu, it can help to keep your immune system in great shape and stave off illness and short term sickness.
With autumn/winter fast approaching, we’re more prone to falling ill around this time, and with the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever we look after ourselves over the coming months.
It’s important to eat right not just for our physical health, but our mental health too. Over the course of autumn and winter, our exposure to sunlight can decrease dramatically, especially for those who have gone back to work 9-5 in an office. Factor in the cold, wet weather and the outcome could be SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.)
With some symptoms being a low mood and a decreased desire to socialize, as well as difficulty concentrating and a lack of energy due to vitamin deficiency, it's important to keep your body and mind nourished to help prevent SAD and to keep your immune system in tip top shape.
The foods listed below are said to be great immune boosters and contain various vitamins to help keep you fighting fit and boost your mood.
Oily fish
Packed with protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, eating oily fish such as sardines, tuna and mackerel can help boost your brain function and studies have shown that people who eat fish are less likely to become depressed. This could have a knock on effect on your sleep too, for the better. The happier your mood, the better quality your sleep will be, and vice versa!
We can get vitamin D from sunlight, but as a lot of us are spending more time indoors due to lockdown, and as the amount of natural daylight decreases between the months of October - March, it's important we get our Vitamin D hit from other sources in order to keep our bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
As well as oily fish, good sources of vitamin D include red meat, egg yolks and liver. For veggies and vegans, taking a daily supplement or mouth spray is ideal for keeping your levels topped up. Whilst there have been some reports that vitamin D can help to reduce the risk of Covid-19, there isn't enough evidence to support those claims at present.
Citrus fruits
Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and lemons, is great for building the immune system and is thought to increase the production of white blood cells (what the body uses to fights infection.) Our bodies don’t produce or store vitamin C naturally, so it’s important we get our daily dose from these fruits. It’s easy to add a simple squeeze to any meal with a rich variety of citrus fruits such as these to choose from!
Garlic
Used to cure a variety of ailments back in Ancient Greece and Egyptian times, garlic contains an infection fighting compound called allicin, which is said to help lower blood pressure. Found in a lot of everyday dishes we all know and love, it’s not hard to incorporate a few cloves into our daily diets to get our fix. Each little bulb of garlic also contains vitamin C, vitamin B6 as well as calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1. Impressive right? Just don’t forget to brush your teeth afterwards….
Nuts
A tasty snack for on the go, nuts have a number of health benefits that you may not be aware of. Despite being high in (healthy) fat, nuts are a great source of Vitamin E, magnesium and selenium. Sprinkled over porridge, mixed in with a stir fry or eaten out of the palm of your hand, nuts such as cashews, Brazil and walnuts can help give you that much needed lift.
Ginger
Ginger is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties and has a long history of being used in both traditional and alternative medicine. Originating from China, it has been used to help aid digestion and fight the common cold and flu since the 1st century (yes, really!) Gingerol, the natural oil found in ginger, is what helps to combat inflammation and can help to soothe a sore throat amongst other illnesses.