Fall is around the corner, and so is the season of common cold and flu. The season of common cold and flu in America comes along with fall and remains till winters. It is therefore essential to ensure health and fitness with a well boosted immune system.
Food can play a major role in boosting immunity as it provides many vital nutrients that support the body and its healthy functioning. With a more active immune system, a person is less likely to get illnesses. Even if he encounters illnesses such as common cold and flu, then he might ensure speedy recovery by eating some healthy immunity-boosting foods.
Foods That Can Hurt Your Immunity
Avoiding unhealthy foods and beverages is as important, and a person needs to avoid and limit the intake of such foods. There are some unhealthy foods that can hurt your immune system and may even weaken it. Here are the ones that come on the top of the list.
1. Alcohol
Research suggests that excessive alcohol consumption can ruin your immune response and may even harm the overall immune system. It is thus necessary to either limit its intake or completely give it up. People who are addicted to alcohol are at a higher risk of developing common seasonal illnesses.
Whether it is about civilians or military personnel, a huge population in America is dealing with alcohol abuse. In order to facilitate treatment for such addicts, the state provides numerous plans and programs. Tricare health insurance covers rehab treatment for military personnel and their families. It will help to begin with professional treatment without the fear of cost.
2. Caffeinated Beverages
Caffeinated beverages might help you to stay alert and active. However, these drinks in excess can impair your immune response. Caffeinated drinks make it hard to manage healthy sleep. Good sleep can really boost the immune system. Thus you should limit its intake. People who take coffee excessively might face difficulty in securing quality sleep.
3. Processed Food
Processed food passes through many mechanical and chemical treatments. Such foods have minimum natural nutrients to offer to the body. This is because processed foods have preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors which have zero nutritional value. A person needs to swap to more natural and healthy foods that play a significant role in boosting immunity.
Fall Foods To Take
Fall brings along very nutritious and healthy foods that not only provide nourishment but also help to boost the immune system. Incorporating super fall and winter foods in your diet can really support your immune system and give it a good boost. These foods are everyday foods that a person can easily consume on a daily basis.
1. Sweet Potatoes
Many of the winter dishes, such as Thanksgiving turkey, might taste better with the addition of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are packed with Vitamin A, which gives them immunity-boosting properties. This fall food is easily available even during winters and can be utilized in a number of ways. Preparing them with different recipes will not let you get bored.
2. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is another fall vegetable that has immunity-boosting properties. Other than pumpkin pie, you can eat them in a range of ways. Pumpkin seeds make up a great substitute for sunflower seeds and offer countless health benefits. Pumpkin is an immunity booster as it provides Vitamin A, B, and C along with foliate, calcium, magnesium, copper, and potassium.
In addition to their immunity-boosting properties, pumpkins are essentially good for heart and liver health. Potassium and magnesium that occur in pumpkin helps to regulate blood pressure and keeps it normal. Pumpkin soup will keep you warmer during this cooler time of the year.
3. Spinach
No wonder how Popeye, the sailor man, used to instantly get strong and powerful with spinach intake. This superfood is rich in some key nutrients such as folate, zinc, and many other nutrients. Adding spinach to your diet boosts immunity and prevents seasonal illnesses. You can use the vegetable by steaming it or even add it to your breakfast eggs.
4. Citrus
Fall also brings along many citrus fruits, such as orange. Nothing can give a better boost to the immune system than Vitamin C. A glass of fresh orange juice fulfills the daily requirement of vitamin C and thus gives your immune system a great lift.
Are you not really a proponent of fruit juice? Then you can look to add it through a fruit serving in your diet. Such as, you might look to take grapefruit before breakfast. You may also look to squeeze lime and lemon into your salad bowl. Just make sure that you feed your immune system with citrus fruits to keep it at its best.
5. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are packed with a range of immunity-boosting nutrients such as Vitamin B, Vitamin D, and potassium. Fall and winters give an abundant supply of mushrooms. Nothing can soothe cold fall and winters better than a warm mushroom soup.
You can easily add them as a part of your routine meal and get a more enhanced flavor. You can make countless recipes with mushrooms that not only boost immunity but also satisfy your taste buds.
6. Apples
Fall and the winters are the apple season. Apples are the superfood that not only helps to keep the doctor away but will also keep seasonal illnesses away. Apples are rich in fiber, iron, essential vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants which offer a wide range of health benefits. Apples are low-calorie fruit, and anyone can easily take it in a routine diet.
Take Away
Food is the best way to source necessary nutrients. It is those nutrients present in the food that boost immunity. Fall brings a range of superfoods that provide all required nutrients which have immunity-boosting properties. With better immunity, a person is better able to avoid unnecessary encounters with seasonal illnesses such as the common cold and flu.