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Four Foods to Boost Immunity

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From turmeric to yoghurt, we discuss four foods that you must include in your diet

What we eat is the key to supporting our immune system and living a long, healthy life. Ensuring that you are eating a balanced diet, which includes a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, along with vitamin and mineral-rich foods is crucial. While avoiding processed and high sugar foods is important, eating specific foods that promote a healthy immune system is crucial to avoid diseases. Here are some foods to boost immunity that you should include enough of in your diet. 

Lean meat and legumes

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Protein is important for enhancing immunity because it helps to form the cells that the immune system functions on. Amino acids are found in protein and are responsible for forming the building blocks of all cells, including the immune cells, which fights viral and bacterial infections. Include lean meat like chicken, fish, and eggs or plant-based protein like lentils, beans, pulses, and legumes, which are all foods to boost immunity. They should make up 1/4th of your plate in each main meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

Vegetables and citrus fruit

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The inclusion of citrus fruits in one’s meal plan is a sure-shot way of solidifying your immunity. All citrus fruits and vegetables are foods to boost immunity. Fruits like oranges, lemons, and tangerines and vegetables like broccoli, peppers, kale, have vitamin C, vitamin B, magnesium, fiber, and flavonoids. Vitamin C prevents iron deficiency and drastically reduces the risk of catching chronic diseases and the flu. Citrus fruits also keep one hydrated and have a low-calorie count. These fruits and vegetables are credited with reducing cholesterol and kidney-related ailments. 

Turmeric

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Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries and is specially added in dishes to speed up injury recovery. It has been seen in several studies that curcumin, the active ingredient that gives turmeric its immune building properties, is a naturally-occurring chemical that gives turmeric its distinctive yellow color and is useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Other than that turmeric has antiviral tendencies that prevent cough. There is a study that contends that curcumin’s inclusion in your meals helps with muscle soreness, inflammation induced by exercise, and hyperlipidemia. Turmeric has flavonoids, zinc, ascorbic acid, and potassium. It is studied that there are close to 300 vitamins and minerals in turmeric that make it one of the most important foods to boost immunity. 

Yoghurt and fermented foods

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Probiotic food items like yoghurt, tempeh, kefir, sauerkraut, and Indian pickles are highly effective in maintaining a healthy gut. Yoghurt is a super food to include—it has active cultures such as lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. These two bacteria facilitate the strengthening of bones and also improve digestion. Today there are several flavored yoghurts storming the market aisles. These yoghurts are full of sugar and artificial flavoring agents that are bad for one’s health and can also trigger allergic reactions. 

There is a saying that you cannot control everything in your life but you can control what you put in your body. So eat with thought and the next time you plan your meals, make extra efforts  to include more of the above-mentioned foods for a natural immune boost. 

 

 

 

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In Articles to munch on

Get well soon

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Uh-oh. Your child sneezing in a row could only mean one thing: the onset of a cold. A mighty cold. Or not. While every child’s illness symptoms escalate in hisher unique way, the point is that of ten, the occurrence of illnesses can either be mitigated or staved off entirely depending on their nutrition.

In other words, what your kids eat can be the solution for a whole host of child-related maladies ­ right from mood swings to constipation to the management of colds, coughs or viruses.

BUILD IMMUNITY

While protein is a beautiful immunity builder it does wonderful work to combat dis ease in your children along with bolstering their resistance and repairing general wear and tear -it is important to choose the right protein, like egg whites, lean white meats, fish, dals and quinoa.

Vitamin C is another fantastic booster of immunity and can be found in amla or kiwi or even in multivitamins, on a doctor’s prescription, of course.

Vitamin B12 is a brilliant way in munity levels can be raised in a child.

It positively influences the speed of recovery too. However, it’s important for vegetarians vegans to take note here: as B12 is found mainly in animal products, like dairy and eggs, children may need to take a B12 supplement on the recommendation of their paediatrician.

IMPROVE CONSTIPATION

Constipation is painful for children or adults for that matter. Foods with fibre can help your child. If he she is constipated, feed them raw vegetable juices, chia seeds, papaya and kiwi. And lots and lots of water: hydration is very important for a happy, smiling and fully functional digestive system.

TACKLE MOOD SWINGS

Is your child an angel one moment and a devil the next? While it’s tempting to blame your in-laws for all the character traits you don’t like, sometimes mood swings may not be part of a child’s personality, but have its roots in gluten intolerance. The best way to check would be to eliminate all sources of gluten, and see if the symptoms persist.

Having said this, no matter how much information is out there, nutrition’s role in maintaining the health of your child remains underestimated and misunderstood. Why cure when prevention is possible? Why miss school or exams or vacations if it just means smarter eating? When the remedy for so many things can be found in the plate, why take the pill?
Keep in mind that food is the most natural way to heal your child.

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In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

Is curd bad for throat?

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Dear Pooja,
I have been suffering from cold and cough since more than a week now. There are some diet advices that i have been getting from people that i really need a professional opinion about….
Does having lemon and citrus foods help? People say khatta is bad for throat but isn’t the vitamin C in them, good? What about curd and bananas? Is curd bad for throat? And another confusion is – fried and oily food? How is that bad for cough and cold?

If it’s free – its advice; if you pay for it, it’s counseling – right? Well having said that, yes I do agree that most advice you get can be confusing and difficult to decipher without some guidance. Do note that different schools of medicine have different core principals and thus the advice can get confusing. My views and suggestions are purely from a nutritional standpoint with no disregard to other schools like Ayurveda or naturopathy. Citrus foods are rich in antioxidant and flu fighting Vitamin C which markedly help relieve a cold but may aggravate a sore throat– my suggestion however would be eat the fruit and not drink it. Fresh yogurt at room temperature helps build the healthy intestinal flora, which help combating the unwanted bacteria, improves internal immunity, which also help wards off viral infections. Bananas contain vitamin B6 that helps the body fight infections.  Fried and oily food on the other hand worsen the cough as frying releases a compound called acrolein, which acts as allergen that aggravates the cough and causes an itch in the throat. Other don’ts would be to avoid alcohol and smoking. Avoid excess caffeinated beverages (although warm fluids temporarily ease the throat) as they increase acid reflux that worsen the throat. Focus on good hydration levels (just plain warm water or clear soups) as that helps dilute the mucus and possibly ease the congestion. Roots like garlic (Allicin being the active compound) and ginger both help alleviate common colds and sore throats. Hope that helps Shreya – take care!

 

 

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In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

Jaundice – any foods that will help?

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Dear Pooja,
My sister was diagnosed with jaundice earlier this month. She is recuperating at home now. Currently, she is on a liquid and soft food diet. She feels weak all the time. We eat non-vegetarian food at home. I was wondering if you could help us with what she can start eating and what she should avoid. Are there any particular snacks we should give her?

Jaundice has a direct effect on the digestive system thus taking care of what you eat can help you recover faster. Low fat and high fluid diet is the key emphasis. To maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance hydrate yourself with ample amounts of water, chaas, coconut water, soups, juices, smoothies and milkshakes. Eat small frequent meals so as not to load the system at one time. Good quality and quantity of protein is important to recuperate faster. White lean meats like chicken and fish can be lightly steamed or grilled and consumed about two to three times a week. Egg whites are excellent in both their quality and quantity of protein so please add them generously to your daily diet. Foods to avoid include all fried and heavy calorie laden foods including cakes and candies, extra masala and spice, extra fibre – thus peel the fruits and avoid vegetables like with more seeds like cucumber, brinjal, tomatoes, stay away from carbonated drinks and excess caffeine as they irritate the gut. Home cooked food in good hygiene, less oil, lots of fluids and even more love is the quickest and easiest route to hasty recovery. Get well soon!

 

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