Enhance Your Immune System
During times of uncertainty it’s hugely important to focus on what is under our control. One thing that’s almost always under our control are our food choices. Upgrade your nutrition for an immunity boost. Here is a quick-start guide:
Maximise your everyday nutrition:
- Eat whole foods cooked at home
- Avoid foods that come in packages and contain more than 5 ingredients as these are processed and lower in nutrients
- Eat a wide variety of foods: Vary the types of meat / protein you eat, choose a range of colour in your fruits & vegetables.
- Choose foods that feed good gut bacteria like yogurt, kefir, sourdough bread and other fermented foods.
- Choose water or high quality milk as your main drinks, especially for children.
- Reduce or eliminate added sugar. Added sugar causes inflammation in the body, reducing your ability to fight illnesses. (N.B. This is not the case with natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables!)
- Keep alcohol to a minimum and consume it as far from bedtime as possible. Alcohol causes strain in the body, reducing your ability to recover from other stressors (physical or psychological). Alcohol profoundly disrupts sleep quality, even though it feels like a sedative.
Suggested Nutritional Supplements:
- Fish, algae or krill oil for Omega 3 fatty acids – these reduce inflammation and improves brain function.
- Multivitamin – to fill in any gaps in your day to day nutrition
- Vitamin D – in the UK it is impossible for us to get enough vitamin D from the sun between November and March. Supplement this important vitamin to boost your mood and immunity.
- Bone broth – excellent anti-inflammatory and great for calming the gut
Personalised nutrition and health coaching is available online or in person. Contact me at amj@evolve.me.uk
Please note this is not a substitute for medical advice.