Immune System Support



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Having a strong immune system is the foundation for good health.  The immune system is a complex system that can be supported by healthy living strategies.  Making nutritionally sound dietary choices such as eating a diet high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and low in saturated fat is an excellent place to start for supporting immune function.  A variety of fresh whole foods  containing an abundance of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients as well as getting plenty of sunshine, exercise, water  are all contributing factors in maintaining a healthy immune system.  

There is ongoing research investigating the immune boosting function of a number of different nutrients which most commonly include the following:  Vitamins, A, B2, B6, C and D as well the minerals Selenium and Zinc.  While supplementation is an option, obtaining these nutrients from whole foods would be the best nutritional strategy.

Micronutrients for Immune Support	Food Sources
Vitamin A	Sweet potato , carrots, pumkin, spinach, broccoli, kale, parsley,apricots, mango, papaya, cantaloupe, fortified cereal.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Legumes, nuts,brown rice, milk, bread products,nutritional yeast, fortified cereals, blackstrap molasses, psuedograins (amaranth, buckwheat,quinoa, wild rice).
Vitamin B6	Bananas, brown rice, walnuts, avacados, oats, fortified cereals, pseudograins.
Vitamin C	Red and green peppers, kiwis, oranges, strawberries, broccoli
Vitamin D	Fish liver oils, fatty fish, fortified milk products, fortified cereals; also, formed naturally as a result of sunlight exposure
Selenium	Seafood, brazil nuts,walnuts, brown rice, nutritional yeast
Zinc	Red meats, some seafood, fortified cereals, psuedograins, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast.

Precisely which nutrients and strategies work best for supporting the immune system is not scientifically proven.  Using the basic guidelines for healthy living will provide a multifaceted approach to maintaining strong immune function.

Source:  Excerpted from The Truth About Your Immune System, a Special Health Report from Harvard Health Publications.

Super Immunity Foods, a book written by Frances Sheridan Goulart,CCN, focuses on foods that strengthen the immune system.  She refers to foods that are thought to strengthen the immune system as Super Immunity Foods.  The book also identifies the immune system to have six centers; the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, musculoskeletal and respiratory centers.  Different, organs, structures and substances are involved.  In general, what causes immunity to stumble and leave us vulnerable to disease is the over activity of one or more of the centers.  The charts below allow for a clear understanding of what foods to use to strengthen the body’s six immune centers.

Immune Center	Super Immunity Foods
Cardiovascular Center	Oranges, citrus, flaxseed, onions, garlic, tomatoes, olives and olive oil, sea vegetables, tea.
Nervous Center	Berries, dark leafy greens, green foods, mushrooms, apples, Potatoes, herbs and spices.
Digestive Center	Tomatoes, broccoli, nuts and seeds, yogurt, berries, squash, apples.
Musculoskeletal Center	Broccoli, carrots, dark leafy greens, oats, whole grains, yogurt, sea vegetables, soy foods, apples.
Respiratory Center	Carrots, tomatoes, squash, herbs and spices, mushrooms, tea.

Top 25 Super Immunity Foods	Super Immunity Centers
Apples	Cardiovascular, glandular, digestive/detoxification.
Berries	Cardiovascular, nervous, glandular, digestive/detoxification.
Broccoli/Brassica Family	Cardiovascular, nervous, glandular, digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal, respiratory.
Carrots	Cardiovascular, glandular, digestive/detoxification
Citrus Fruits	Cardiovascular, glandular, digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal
Dark Leafy Greens	Nervous, digestive/detoxification, and musculoskeletal
Green Food Powders	Glandular, digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal.
Figs and Dates	Digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal, respiratory.
Garlic	Cardiovascular, glandular, digestive/detoxification.
Flaxseed	Cardiovascular, glandular, musculoskeletal.
Legumes	Cardiovascular, glandular, musculoskeletal.

Olives and Olive Oil	Cardiovascular, nervous, glandular.
Herbs and Spices	Nervous, glandular, respiratory.
Mushrooms	Glandular, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive/detoxification.
Potatoes	Cardiovascular, nervous, glandular.
Sea Vegetables	Cardiovascular, glandular, musculoskeletal.
Squash	Cardiovascular, digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal.
Soy Foods	Nervous, glandular, digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal.
Nuts and Seeds	Glandular, digestive/detoxification, respiratory.
Whole Grains	Digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal, respiratory.
Yogurt	Nervous, digestive/detoxification, musculoskeletal.

The above list has been adapted from the book: Super Immunity Foods by: Frances Sheridan Goulart, CCN

Healthy Kitchen Basics



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Planning and preparation is the key to success when it comes to making major lifestyle changes.  Having the right tools to work with can help making transition an easier process.  Having a well-stocked kitchen will provide you with the tools you need to move forward with preparing healthful meals. Taking the time and making the effort to add to your cooking repertoire can prove to be a valuable investment as you begin creating quick and easy recipes that provide better quality, fresh and delicious alternatives to prepackaged convenience food. Some things take so little time to prepare but it’s just a matter of being organized with having the right products on hand for quick and easy preparation.



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Stocking the Pantry

Nut Milks Rice Milks Almond Milk Sweeteners Maple Syrup Honey Agave Nectar	Stocks Chicken Vegetable Beef Coconut Milk	Snacks Sunflower Seeds Pumpkin seeds Popcorn Baked chips	Dried Fruit/Nuts Dried Herbs & Spices Dried Mushrooms	Condiments Tamari Hoisin sauce Capers Mustard

Oils Extra Virgin Olive Oil Canola Oil Grapeseed Oil Peanut Oil Walnut Oil Coconut Oil	Vinegars Balsamic Apple Cider Rice Sherry Champagne	Grains Brown Rice Quinoa Millet Oats Polenta Amaranth Farro Teff	Pasta Semolina Whole Grain Crackers Baked Whole Grain Cereals Whole grain	Canned Goods Beans Tomatoes *look for cans labeled BPA free

Seasonal Winter Cooking

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The winter season is instinctually a time of reflection, a time to slow down.   It’s a time for nourishing our mind and body and building up our reserves.  Living in harmony with the winter season corresponds to introspection, rest and replenishment.  It’s about eating foods that rejuvenate, nourish and build the body’s immunity.

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Winter is the right time to prepare slow cooked meals, nourishing soups, stews, seasonal vegetables, whole grains and beans.  Maintaining harmony by directing your diet toward food in season is a good way to support your health during the winter season.  Not only does choosing seasonal foods benefit our personal health it also supports sustainability and the local economy.  Winter is the most challenging time of year to try and maintain that philosophy.  The scarcity of locally available product gives us the opportunity to redesign our diet to encourage making the best use out of the products that are in season.  It’s an opportunity to become better acquainted with foods we might otherwise shy away from.  Look at the nutritional qualities of foods and make use of the foods that best support your individual constitution and can boost your immunity for the cold winter season.  So get creative and become inspired to create wonderful ways to warm your winter plate with a wealth of seasonal foods.

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Seasonal Produce-Winter

Arugula

Beets

Bok choy

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Carrots

Celeriac

Collard greens

Endive

Escarole

Fennel

Jerusalem artichokes

Kohlrabi

Mache

Parsnips

Potatoes

Radishes

Radicchio

Spinach

Sweet potatoes

Swiss chard

Turnips

Watercress

Winter Squash

Lemon

Grapefruit

Orange

Pineapple

Banana

Pears

Kiwi

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Our Connection to Food

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Our relationship and connection to food can be quite profound.  It nourishes us and brings us closer together with the ones we love.  Creating a beautiful meal can at times feel as complex as orchestrating a symphony.  Enjoying a fabulously prepared meal can even feel magical as you appreciate the finesse and subtleties of fine cuisine.

Despite our good intentions many of us end up eating less than healthy as we try and keep up with our fast paced lives.  When we loose touch with the integrity of our dietary practices our health suffers. Eating a diet consisting of whole foods with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables will eventually payoff with the reward of increased energy and a feeling of well being.

Menu planning and food preparation can seem overwhelming at times.  But there’s something to be said about appreciating food in its simplicity.

 Enjoying food in its natural state can be a fresh and fast way to jumpstart a healthy diet. 

Building a healthy cooking repertoire using fine fresh ingredients and healthy cooking technique is a wonderful foundation to continually build upon.  But most importantly, respect the cycles of nature and choose seasonal foods that are at the peak of quality and freshness and appreciate the simplicity of nature’s seasonal bounty.

Cultivating Awareness

By evaluating our health and taking responsibility for making changes in our diet and lifestyle is one the first steps toward conscious living. Diet plays a big part in determining the state of out health.  Eventually bad habits take their toll. As we cultivate awareness of how our bodies feel we begin to recognize more clearly how the food we eat can impact our health.  If we don’t correct bad habits and allow small problems to develop into chronic conditions, the consequences for our actions or lack of action can become significant.

In addition to developing awareness of our diet, it’s also important that we become aware of dangers of the chemicals we introduce into our homes with everyday cleaning products, personal care products and anything that may expose us to potentially harmful chemicals.  Residual chemicals can remain stored in the body and is thought to disrupt the delicate chemical balance in the body in certain individuals and may cause long term health problems.

Rather than think of dietary changes as deprivation you should cultivate awareness of the life giving properties of a healthy nutritious diet and consider it to be a source of empowerment for your mind and body.  Think in terms of adding better quality food to your diet rather than what you’re being deprived of.  As you begin to make a conscious effort at providing a wide variety of healthy options including fruits, vegetables and whole grains you will eventually eliminate the desire to have less healthy options. 

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