Do you ever make it through an entire year without getting sick? Staying healthy year-round, even during the fall and winter months, isn’t as hard as you might think.
“There are plenty of ways you can help protect your body from colds and the flu, starting with the foods you eat,” says Ulrike Sujansky, M.D., an internal medicine doctor with Mills-Peninsula Medical Center.
Many fruits and vegetables boost your immune system. Try to incorporate seven servings a day into your diet. “Stock up on whole fruits, garlic, broccoli and green leafy vegetables,” Dr. Sujansky says. “Dark berries such as blueberries are especially potent antioxidant powerhouses.” Antioxidants help stabilize free radicals, which can damage the body’s cells and compromise your immunity.
Vitamin C also strengthens immunity and stimulates the formation of antibodies—the cells that help you fight illness. Although vitamin C can’t prevent colds, it may help shorten your cold and make the symptoms milder. Incorporate citrus such as oranges and tangerines into your meals. Other vitamin C-rich foods include papayas, strawberries, tomatoes and red bell peppers. Get creative; put them in salads or enjoy as them as a snack.
To boost immunity, “supplements are such an attractive idea,” Dr. Sujansky says. “It’s so much easier to pop a vitamin tablet than to eat a healthy diet and exercise.”
Studies continue to debate the effectiveness of supplements. For example, a major study that reviewed 60 years of published data on vitamin C tablets’ effect on the immune system concluded the tablets offered no benefit in preventing influenza.
However, a National Institutes of Health study recently confirmed the benefits of supplementing vitamin D. It lauded “the importance of vitamin D for a functional immune system” and notes a striking prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in people with autoimmune disease.
Supplements don’t precisely mimic all of the nutrients in whole fruits and vegetables. In other words, substituting an orange with a vitamin C tablet doesn’t provide the same health benefits. Your best bet: eat a balanced diet for the best immune system-boosting nutrients, and work with a nutritionist if you suspect any deficiencies in your diet that might benefit from supplementation.
“Believe it or not, you can also boost your immune system by taking some quality time for yourself,” Dr. Sujansky says. “Visit with friends or spend time alone in quiet contemplation and meditation.”
Also, don’t forget to exercise and get enough rest. “Eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep—these are scientifically proven to reduce inflammatory markers and improve antibodies and the way that they function,” Dr. Sujansky says. “These common-sense actions can help you dodge winter illnesses.”
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