Continuing our theme of the last few weeks, here are more simple actions you can take right now to support your body’s natural immune response.
Today, we turn to nutrition. One of the most crucial ways to take control of your health is through your diet. With that in mind, here are 5 tasty examples of how to do just that:
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Citrus Fruits.
Not only are these colorful beauties yummy, but they’re some of nature’s best sources of vitamin C. Well-known for its protectant effect against colds and flus, it’s also a powerful antioxidant that’s been shown by research to help your body’s cells fight off all kinds of threats.
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Red Bell Peppers.
You could be forgiven for thinking that oranges supply more vitamin C than any other fruit. But that is NOT the case. An average red pepper (they’re considered a fruit) boasts 109mg of vitamin C compared with about 70mg for an orange. Red peppers also contain beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A in your body. In turn, this helps you better absorb vitamin D, another crucial immunity nutrient.
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Garlic.
Garlic breath might not do much for your social life, but hey…we’re supposed to keep our distance now anyway, right? 😉 Recognized since early civilizations for its power in fighting infections, a lot of studies have since confirmed its immune-boosting properties. Scientists believe these come from sulfur-containing compounds found in garlic, such as allicin.
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Ginger.
This zesty spice is a potent anti-inflammatory. And controlling your body’s inflammatory response is a BIG key to ensuring you stay healthy and well. For an invigorating healthy fix, try replacing the afternoon cup of Java with a Ginger tea (add in a few drops of lemon for more citrus)!
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Spinach.
This is another gift from nature’s bounty. High in vitamin C, the best way to enjoy Popeye’s favorite power-snack is lightly steamed; this releases more vitamin A too. Drop more of these lovelies into your daily diet…And you’ll be able to count on a more robust immune system. For best results, avoid sugar and reduce both coffee and alcohol as they’ll cancel some these foods beneficial effects.
Confession time:
I, like most other people, have been a bit more slack than usual (not terrible) with my eating/drinking habits. Recent events have provided a great excuse. The problem is it doesn’t look like this is all going away just yet! So if you’ve started to feel low, groggy, anxious, or a bit of “brain fog”, it might be time to hit the reset button on your nutrition.
Your body (and brain) will thank you for it. Together with eating well, exercising, and supplementing with vitamin D and omega 3’s, other factors to staying at the driver’s wheel of your immunity are controlling stress and sleeping well. Regular adjustments can help with this. Here’s how: by removing blockages that impair healthy nerve function, chiropractic care lets your autonomic nervous system take over and calm a reactive internal environment keeps you wired and stressed. All that is to say:
If you’re not currently under care and you’d like relief from pain (or simply better health) now is the time to email or call the office at (416) 967-4466 and book your assessment (or re-assessment if it’s been a while).
And if you’d like to hear about the steps we’ve taken to keep you safe, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Dr. Josh
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“Dr Joshua is a true healer! Very Thankful for his Skills and Compassion.” – Jacques B.
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