Nutrition and Immunity
I don’t know about anyone else but I just got my butt kicked by a cold! I focused on giving my body the micronutrients that it needed as well as plenty of rest and hydration. Here are some foods you can incorporate to boost your immune system and help you fight any common cold!
When I say “boost your immune system”, I mean giving your body the support it needs to function properly through your diet. Obviously, that won’t replace any exposure, or lack thereof, to germs.
Citrus Fruits
We all know that vitamin C is critical to staying healthy but let’s opt for getting it through our diet before supplementing. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes are all great options to support your body in creating white blood cells to fight off intruders (aka illnesses and infections). Blend them into a smoothie, serve them on salads, incorporate them into snacks, or slice them up to flavor your water.
Bone Broth
The amino acids in bone broth have been shown to reduce inflammation, which helps your body come off of “attack mode” from fighting infections. Don’t get me wrong, inflammation is part of the healing process but we don’t want to be in that state longer than we need to be.
Bone broth also contains collagen, an amino acid that slows down in production as we age. I have a delicious bone broth-based soup here that is absolutely delicious.
Ginger
Ginger has also been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. The anti-inflammatory properties can help bring down swelling in the throat brought on by accessive coughing. Ginger has also been shown to soothe an upset stomach, which I can attest to because I was sucking it down when I had elevation sickness in Colorado.
Garlic
The medicinal properties of garlic date way back to ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, China, and India. It is a potent antiviral that prevents viruses from entering your healthy cells.
Turmeric
Another anti-inflammatory spice and one of my favorites, turmeric has also been shown to enhance the antibody response in your body. One of my favorite ways to get my turmeric in is in the Golden Hour smoothie bowl! It’s packed with vitamin C and fiber, plus the flavor combination walks the line between sweet and savory in a way that keeps me going back for more… Until it’s gone at least!
Golden Hour Smoothie Bowl
3-4 oz banana, chopped and frozen
5 oz unsweetened frozen mango
4oz unsweetened, lite canned coconut milk (or oat milk for fewer calories but this makes it creamy and more filling)
1 tsp of turmeric to start (add more if you’d like)
Pinch of black pepper (enhances the absorption of the curcumin in the turmeric so you get the benefits)
1 dash of powdered ginger
1 dash of cinnamon
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder of choice
85g frozen riced cauliflower
Blend ingredients until smooth. For a thicker bowl, use less liquid. For a smoothie to drink, use more liquid!
AH-mazing toppers:
4g unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp chia seeds or hemp hearts
15g granola of choice
15g macadamia nuts
10g puffed quinoa (still experimenting with this one!)