That old saying “you are what you eat”? It carries some weight. Take this with (more than) a grain of salt—the food and drinks you consume on a daily basis do have an impact on your body, including your immune response. To get the skinny on this, we reached out to Dr. Doug Portmann of Wards Corner Chiropractic & Sports Rehab for his input on immune-boosting foods you can add to your daily diet before winter arrives.
First on our list of defense-boosting snacks? Berries. “Berries are high in antioxidants and carry an abundance of immune-boosting vitamins.” They also make for a sweet and simple addition to the next superstar to note—yogurt.
Although “good bacteria” sounds oxymoronic, most of us know it works to fight off bad bacteria and germs in our bodies—and yogurt is loaded with it. Find the variety that works best for you (and toss in a few berries while you’re at it).
Next on our go-to’s for superfoods are leafy greens. Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collards and mustard greens are high in vitamins A and C. They’re also a great source of calcium—helping keep those bones strong without the dairy.
Not far behind on our super-snack list are members of the legume family. “Besides being loaded with protein, beans such as black, red, garbanzo and soybeans are chock-full of vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Portmann explains.
Last, but not least, make sure to stock up on nuts to keep that immune system ready for a fight. Hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and pecans are all great sources of plant protein, plus they carry loads of essential vitamins.
With these five immune-boosting superfoods on your side (and in your belly), you can make this your healthiest cold and flu season yet.
WardsCornerChiro.com | 550 Wards Corner Rd., Loveland | 513.677.6787