Disease Fighting Foods

I had mentioned in a previous post about foods that fight cold and flu, but I wanted to go a little more into that particular subject.

Probiotics are good bacteria that you can find in yogurt.  70% of the immune cells or more that produce antibodies live in the digestive tract lining.  According to a study those who took probiotics for at least 3 months had a severity of symptoms about 20% less than those who didn’t and they cut the duration by about two days (Jaret 2005).  For some, yogurt is a great way to raise the probiotics in the body.  For others like me, however, dairy may suppress the immune system due to an allergy or sensitivity.  For people like me there are supplements like New Chapter’s probiotics or my personal favorite Inner Eco which is a delicious coconut kefir.

My auntie always told me to eat my bitters every day.  Well, according to studies she was right!  Way to go Aunt Babs!  Bitter, leafy greens are shown to be great for chest congestion, sniffles and cough (Jaret 2005).  Two examples mentioned were arugula and watercress (Jaret 2005).  I used to juice arugula with beets, carrots, kale, parsley and an apple (and sometimes I added a little ginger) and believe it or not, it made a nice beverage for my parents and me.  My mother loves to add arugula to her salads, which give them a nice kick.  My dad always tops his delicious burgers with a little watercress and I admit it never tastes the same without it.  (Remember, if you are pregnant or nursing there are certain precautions that you must take before making changes to your diet.  Talk to your doctors about ANY changes.)

Try adding these to your diet to raise your body’s defenses this winter.  If you have recipes, please share!  I absolutely LOVE to hear from you!  Be well!

Reference:
Jaret (2005) Boost Your Immunity Health (Time Inc. Health) November 2005 Bol. 19 Issue 9, p118-190