by Marcey Klein BS, CNC
*
Yes, we can eat to enhance
the immune system and stay
healthy – we can eat well to
nourish all of our body systems.
Sometimes there is a disconnect
from what we put in our
mouths. We eat for pleasure,
convenience, or what just tastes
good, not really checking to see
if we’re inputting a rich source
of clean nutrition. Here is a
guide for choosing meals to help
nourish the immune system,
help bring down inflammation,
and assist the digestive system,
the liver, and the elimination
process.
More than 70% of our immunity
comes from the digestive
system. The beneficial bacteria
in the gut creates a barrier from
harmful intruders. To keep the
gut happy, eat prebiotics, also
known as soluble fiber. Foods
high in prebiotics include Jerusalem
artichokes, onions, garlic,
leeks, asparagus, bananas,
barley, oats, flax seeds, jicama,
potatoes, leafy green vegetables,
avocados, wheat germ, and
wheat berries. Wild Roots markets
also carry powdered fiber
supplements that mix easily and
are very effective.
Another important food for
immune health: Cooked mushrooms.
Shrooms are high in selenium,
a necessary component
for the immune system to fight
the flu, and a great antioxidant
for helping combat those free
radicals that try to break down
our cells and DNA. Shitake and
maitake mushrooms are high
in a nutrient called beta glucan
that helps immune cells communicate
more efficiently. If you
find that you have a severely
deficient immune system, or
just want to stay healthy while
others out there are getting sick
around you, there are several
mushroom immune formulas
we carry at Wild Roots that can
help you out.
Fermented foods help to replenish
good bacteria. Try to get
some in your body every day in
various ways. I will have yogurt
or kefir with my breakfast, and
there are probiotic strains in my
green drink. I have kombucha
with my lunch, and I will have a
splash of the gut shot (the brine
from raw sauerkraut) with my
V8 type juice with dinner. These
good bacteria keep us happy.
Literally. The gut is referred to
as our second brain because it
produces a significant amount
of serotonin and communicates
freely with our immune system.
Ginger and turmeric help support
the immune system and
help to keep inflammation
down, which is important in
overall health and illness prevention.
Make a delicious soup
with grated ginger and turmeric,
and add garlic, which is a great
antimicrobial. Be sure to squeeze
in some lemon, great for liver
detox, and throw in some of the
cruciferous vegetables like broccoli,
cauliflower, arugula, Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, bok choy,
and kale. The high sulfur compounds
in these veggies make
them great for liver detox and
help the body remove harmful
estrogens linked to cancer.
Be sure to watch your refined
sugar, wheat flour, and processed
food intake, as these
depress the immune system, use
up necessary vitamins and minerals,
and feed the bad bacteria.
Also remember to stay hydrated!
Warm tea is wonderful this
time of year, and citrus fruits
and juices with the pulp in give
us bioavailable vitamin C and
bioflavonoids.
Stay well, eat for health, move
the body, and stay positive! And
stop on by Wild Roots in Boulder
Creek to say hi, or if you
want more tidbits on health and
nutrition.