Well-balanced diet helps Immune System

Having a well-balanced diet not only helps you to keep healthy but it also can help your immune system to be healthy. It is important to aim for 5 fruit and vegetables each day according to experts. Taking fruit and vegetables maximise immune boosting vitamins, fibre, mineral, and antioxidants. A good way is to make sure you are eating at least two different colours of fruits and vegetables at each meal time.  

When Under Stress

When under stress certain vitamins and minerals are reduced. Here are some examples:

      Vitamin B –  a good source is from fortified breakfast cereals, wholegrains, leafy green vegetables and cashew nuts.

      Vitamin C – is a potent immune-stimulating nutrient. Increases production of infection fighting white blood cells                                                           and antibodies and a good source is kiwi fruit, orange, mangoes.

Eat more vegetables and wholegrains

Eat plenty of fresh, tinned or frozen vegetables especially dark green which are a good source of iron and some of these are kale, spinach, broccoli and sprouts.  Switch from pasta, rice and white bread to wholegrain which have lots of nutrients and fibre.

Eating more fruit

Fruit such as apples or pears can make a great snack whenever you feel like a snack no matter what time of the day it is. Vitamin C is reduced when under stress, so it is important to increase intake.

A healthy snack such as fruit or a low-fat fruit yogurt or a smoothie not only helps to keep the hunger pangs at bay but is also your 1 of 5 fruit and vegetable that you will be eating.

It is useful to prepare a small plastic dish with chopped apples, pears, melon and berries. You can eat them at different times of the day and you will save money by not buying the pre-packaged goods from the supermarket.

A refreshing Orange and Lemon drink which can be taken any time. Here is how I make it in about 10-15 minutes

• 3-4 of oranges or 1 large orange
• 1 lemon
• 2/3 tbsp of sugar (more or less depending how you like it)

Method – Peel the oranges and add them to a blender or use a hand-juicer

Blend the oranges and put through a sieve to remove the pulp.

Use hand-juicer for the lemon and add to the orange

Add sugar (ideally unrefined sugar)

Put in the fridge to cool or drink right away

ENJOY………..

Fish especially oily fish is good for the immune system as recommended having a Mediterranean diet.   

Fats – the best type is to go for is unsaturated fat – best to check the amount of fat in products. Taking too much fat can impact on heart disease. 

Drinking water helps the immune system