Immunity Boosters - Time for deep nourishment
It’s a time of unprecedented events, fear, frustration and dramatic shifts as we all work to ‘flatten the curve’ of COVID-19. THIS is a time for deep nourishment, self-care, slowing down and getting back to all the things that matter most.
NOW is also an ideal time to intentionally focus on what you can do to live healthier and naturally support your body's immune system.
One of the most powerful ways to do this is through the food you eat each day. Food is in essence, information - it can tell your skin to glow, your mind to be calm, your immune system to be firing on all cylinders and much more. Of course, there is no guarantee that any way of eating can 100% prevent you from catching a cold or COVID-19, but eating to strengthen your immunity can definitely help reduce the chances you get sick and help your body heal faster if you do come down with something.
Here are some great ways to do just that through WHOLE, NUTRIENT-DENSE, NOURISHING PLANT CENTRIC FOODS:
* Eliminate or greatly reduce inflammatory foods including anything processed (like crackers, protein bars, packaged rice dishes & frozen meals) well as alcohol, white sugar, refined starches, and caffeine. Besides contributing to a host of health issues, these foods compromise your immunity.
* Consider adding astragalus - a foundational herb in traditional Chinese medicine known to support healthy immune function through its antiviral and antibacterial actions. It is also said to actually increase the number of immune cells in your body.
* Get your ‘C’ - Vitamin C is well known for its immunity-boosting superpowers and is easy enough to get in your diet by including more citrus foods including grapefruits, lemons, tangerines and limes to your meals.
Start your day with a warm, welcoming cup of filtered lemon water for the immune-enhancing powers as well as its ability to aid digestion, stimulate peristalsis (the waves in the intestines that keep things moving) and balance PH. For extra immune enhancement, add a splash of ACV (apple cider vinegar). Feeling really brave? Add in some raw minced garlic ( a tsp will do), and a Tbsp of each organic raw chickpea miso & raw tahini for a nourishing, super immunity tonic.
* Have more ginger, garlic, parsley, turmeric, and cilantro - preferably raw for their antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Turmeric, for example is well documented healing herb. The beautiful orange color comes from a special anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin. Research shows it can boost immune cell activity and help purify our blood thus helping the kidneys and liver to detoxify.
* Include ferments & probiotics - A good portion of your immunity lies in your gut - fortify it with raw sauerkraut, kimchee, miso, and low sugar kombucha.
* Get more dark leafy greens - these are full of antioxidants and chlorophyll. Think kale, arugula, parsley, Swiss chard, and collard greens. Raw or cooked - aim to include at least one or more with every meal.
Chard is one of my favorites right now (rotate your greens to get a variety of nutrients) and it’s packed with Vitamins K, A, C as well as iron and calcium. Some good ways to add more greens to your day include blending organic kale or spinach into your morning smoothing, noshing on a nutrient-dense green salad of romaine lettuce and watercress at lunch (top with your favorite other vegetables like celery, radish, mushrooms, and carrot ribbons) and have some chard sautéed with garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil with dinner.
* Move the lymph - this is one of the only systems in the body without its own pump. Stimulating it can help protect against infection and disease. Exercise, dry brushing, and self-massage can all get the lymph moving.
* Institute my No Glow Zone - being constantly plugged into our devices and staring at screens is never good for our sense of grounding and calm. Greatly reducing the amount of time spent taking-in news and social media will contribute a sense of peace and help facilitate deep sleep too.
I hope these serve you now and well after the pandemic passes. - xox