With fall comes less sunlight and our immunity can take a hit! One of the easiest ways we can boost our immune systems this fall is through our food choices.
Foods that Strengthen Immunity
Anti-inflammatory foods like:
– All colorful organic veggies, roots, and fruits
(i.e. leafy greens, berries, cabbage, spinach, mango, pineapple, kiwi, bell peppers, onions, beets, pumpkin, squash, citrus fruits, elderberries)
– Quality pasture-raised, grass-fed, organic beef, poultry, eggs, and wild fish/seafood
(all high in zinc, omega 3s, crucial vitamins and minerals)
– Bone broth soups
– Omega 3 rich nuts like: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts
– Healthy fats and oils like: avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter
– Herbs and spices like: ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, oregano
Supplement with Vitamin D3 (Adults: 7-10,000 IUs daily, Kids: 1,000 IUs daily), Probiotics, Fish Oil, Vitamin C
Drink at least half your body weight in oz of spring water /day
For every caffeinated/carbonated drink you consume, drink 2 more glasses of spring water
Foods that Weaken Immunity
Pro-inflammatory foods like:
– Grains (bread, pasta, rice, oats, oatmeal, corn)
– Sugar (in all its forms)
– Dairy (especially milk and low fat products)
– Soy
– Orange Juice (high sugar content)
– Conventional grain-fed beef, chicken, pork, eggs, farmed fish
(Note: these animals are typically very sick due to their pro-inflammatory diet, lack of movement, and added growth hormones / antibiotics)
Sick Animals = Sick You
– Drinking unfiltered municipal tap water
– Minimizing your alcohol consumption