Food and immunity
Food can be important for a healthy immune system. In fact food has been a primary way people have traditionally managed illness. Some foods have much evidence for health benefits particularly around immunity:
One of these is yoghurt. Regular consumption of yoghurt is associated with reduced rates of many lifestyle diseases, better bone and muscle health, lower rates of cardiovascular disease, lower rates of type 2 diabetes and significantly lower risk of catching the common cold, with a significant increase in natural killer cells.
Another food to consider is garlic. It is well known for being antibacterial and antiviral but more recent research shows it stimulates many aspects of the immune system. Including garlic in our diets daily is a recommended food-medicine.
Selenium is an important mineral for the immune system, and foods that contain selenium are not so common. However, brazil nuts- just one or 2 a day- or oysters, sardines and tuna are also selenium-rich foods. Zinc is also important for healthy immunity and has received plenty of attention lately... and can be found in good quantities in meat, pumpkin seeds and oysters.
Another easy to access food is citrus, especially oranges and orange juice. These contain Vitamin C, which we all know is important for healthy immunity..but oranges also contain betacarotene- a precursor to Vit A, which is important for activating immune cells- and folate, also important for your immune system. I drink orange juice every day.
Honey is another food medicine, known to increase immunity in many traditional cultures, and now backed by science. A daily teaspoon or two of honey is highly beneficial.
And last for now, the famous chicken soup. This has a folk lore aspect to it, but it has been researched and found to be based in truth- chicken soup, made with the whole chicken or the frame with its bone marrow- has much benefit for the immune system. Another benefit of chicken soup- after making the base by boiling the chicken bones or whole chicken for a couple of hours- is all the other immune supporting things you can add to the soup. Ginger, garlic, and mushrooms such as shitake, as well as various herbs, are all beneficial. I buy dried shitake from Asian food stores and love the flavour in my chicken soup. Of course also add whatever vegetables you like including onions, celery, carrot and Chinese leafy greens.
As a caveat, I am definitely not suggesting that food can be a substitute for medical advice when it comes to serious medical conditions, however it makes sense to keep the body and the immune system in peak shape and there are simple, accessible and evidence-based ways to do it.
