As the days get shorter and the temperature cools down, the children are back in school and everyone seems to start getting sick. How do we eat to protect ourselves and our families?
Our immune system is part of our body’s natural defenses against invasion by bugs of all kinds, ranging from stomach viruses to colds and the flu to more serious illnesses. Our immune system 
has two fundamental components, the innate and the adaptive.
The innate immune system is associated with our skin and mucus membranes that provide physical and chemical barriers to microbes; it also includes the acid in our stomach which can kill or deactivate microbes. Its actions are not specific and can be overridden by breaks in the barriers or malnutrition that decreases chemical responses. The adaptive immune system is how the body develops a memory that keeps it from over-reacting to the same insult repeatedly; it is responsible for the immunity we develop to strains of the flu or other microbes that are commonly in our environment.
Seventy percent of your immune system resides in your gut and is modulated by the bacteria in your gut. If you have a healthy bacterial balance, you are less likely to succumb to colds and flu and pneumonia. So it stands to reason that what we eat can have a major impact on how our immune system functions. Lack of essential nutrients will impair it and providing the right nutrients can decrease how often we succumb to all the bugs that are floating around the closed environments we hang around in all winter. What you do eat is as important as what you avoid. Here are some ways you can make your winter diet one that supports optimal health.
An apple (or two) a day – - Homemade applesauce cooked with a vanilla bean and a cinnamon stick provides soluble fiber and according to Chinese Medicine, apples strengthen the heart, quench thirst, lubricate the lungs, decrease mucous and increase body fluids, all of which support immune health.
- A crisp crunchy apple can be a satisfying sweet, especially with a handful of nuts or spread with almond butter
- Eat your greens
- Kale salad, spinach pie, or a mess of collard greens provide
- fiber to support intestinal health,
anti-oxidants like lutein, and zeaxanthin, Vitamins C, and E, which increase resistance to infection by protecting the immune cells
- Juice raw greens with carrots, beets and apples to get the most of the water soluble vitamins as well as the enzymes that enhance the well-being of your cells.
- Enjoy your berries
- There is evidence that elderberries may shorten the duration of the flu and all berries are high in those anti-oxidants that protect the immune cells
- A fruit smoothie, compote or crisp will provide fiber and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients as well as vitamins that support a healthy immune system.
- Devour winter vegetables
- Roasted root vegetables, beet borscht or baked winter squash are a great source of beta carotene, fiber, and phytonutrients that support immune health
- Roasted broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts provide nutrients that help your body detoxify
- Love those anti-bacterial foods –
- Chicken soup made with garlic, mushrooms, turmeric, oregano and ginger – add some leafy greens and cabbage for an immune support powerhouse
- Ferment your own cucumbers, cabbage, beets or green beans or buy them at the store to support the healthy bacteria in your gut and discourage stomach viruses
Savor healthy fats –- Coconut – provides lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin which can help destroy invading organisms
- Sardines served on endive leaves, or poached salmon help to keep your inflammation down with omega-3 fatty acids
- Make sure you get enough protein
- Stews made with pasture-raised beef or lamb provide the amino acids needed for cell health and are enhanced with turmeric, black pepper, oregano, garlic, onion, leeks and lots of vegetables
- Eggs Florentine (poached over spinach) support the liver’s detoxification activity and provide vitamin A for your immune system.
- Meat or bean chili feed the healthy bacteria in your gut with the fiber from beans while assuring that you get your amino acids
- Drink plenty of water – aim for half your body weight in ounces
- Herbal teas are warming – mint, ginger, Echinacea, chamomile and rosehips are just a few that support immune health
- Bone broth soups are warming, healing and hydrating
- Sugar and alcohol are your immune system’s enemy (you don’t have to avoid them completely, but it is important to keep them in perspective)
- Have an elegant cocktail of seltzer with fresh lemon or lime to give you a boost; seltzer with bitters supports digestive health
- Enjoy nuts, olives, hummus for snacks to keep your blood sugars level and nourish your body and soul
- Poached pears with pureed raspberries make tasty and nutritious dessert that fights bacteria and viruses.
And don’t forget to get enough sleep – - Try an Epsom salt bath with a few drops of lavender oil before bed to detoxify and relax
- Make a bedtime tea from passion flower, hops, chamomile, lemon balm – there are a number of good bedtime teas on the market – Yogi bedtime, Sleepytime,
- Try a guided imagery or relaxing music or nature sounds to help your mind let go
Winter can be tough on all of us, but if you take control of your environment, at least some of the time, you can make it through without succumbing to many of the bugs you are exposed to. And the best part is, it can be tasty and fun. Food may be medicine, but it should also be pleasure.
