Getting sick isn’t much fun. But unfortunately it’s not always possible to prevent or avoid illness – as much as we wish it were! The good news is, you can strengthen your capacity to deal with illness, which may speed up recovery times or reduce the severity of your symptoms. 

Your best bet for supporting your immune health ultimately comes down to supporting your overall health through four key principles - nutrition, sleep, exercise & stress reduction! 

Below we’ll cover some of the key ways to influence your immune system via your diet.

Eat a variety of colourful plant foods

Foods rich in colour (think orange sweet potatoes, red capsicums, green lettuce and purple carrots) are loaded with nutrients that support your immune function. An easy way to ensure you’re getting enough vegetables is to make sure they take up at least half of your plate each meal and try to include 2-3 colours each time. 

Consume Nutrient-rich Protein

Your immune cells are made of protein so it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet to support the synthesis of immunoglobulins (immune cells). Great sources include meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts and seeds.

An easy way to meet your needs is to include 25 grams of protein in each main meal e.g. two boiled eggs, 120 grams of meat or fish, 120 grams of tofu or tempeh, 1 cup of beans.

If you do get ill (including COVID_19) it can lead to muscle wastage making it harder for the body to fight the infection and recover. Therefore you need to increase your protein and calorie intake to help you maintain your strength.

·         Eat every 2-3 hours and include protein with each meal.

·         Add extra beef, chicken etc into soups, add in beans to soups, tuna into a casserole, protein powder or skim milk powder into a smoothie.

·         Have a boiled egg for a snack

·         Add nut butters to toast or crackers.

·         Use a complete nutritional supplement e.g., Sustagen if you are losing a lot of weight. Have as a snack or drink small amounts 50 ml 3-5 times per day

Eat Prebiotics & Probiotics Rich Food

As we learn more about the immune system, the more we understand how integral our gut microbiome is to regulate immune function in the body. The key to this is maintaining your gut bacteria levels.

So add in a serve of probiotics such as plain yoghurt, kefir or fermented vegetables like sauerkraut daily to help boost your microbiome. Making sure you’re eating plenty of high fibre foods also ensures those good bacteria have plenty of yummy food to eat to help them prosper. 

Drink Smart Fluids

Keeping well hydrated is crucial in your recovery efforts if you fall ill. Nutrient-rich liquids including smoothies, vegetable juices and soups made with bone broth support hydration while also delivering key nutrients. As a general guide, if your urine is yellow, you’re not drinking enough, especially if you are unwell.

If you are ill some simple ways to keep the fluid intake up are:

·         Drink even if you are not thirsty

·         Drink ¼ cup to 1/.2 cup (60 – 125ml) every 15 minutes

·         Take small sips every few minutes.

·         Keep liquid beside your bed

Increase your intake of key nutrients

The following nutrients have been shown to boost your immune system and decrease the longevity of some illnesses.  

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is rapidly used by your body during periods of stress or infection, so you’ll want to boost your intake if you’re feeling run down. Good sources of vitamin C include: Lemons, Limes, Oranges, Broccoli, Strawberries, Red Capsicum, Kiwi fruit, dried fruit

Zinc

Zinc is a fantastic mineral to assist the body when fighting off viral infections. So now you have an excuse to indulge in a half-dozen of freshly shucked oysters that are rich in zinc. Good source: Shellfish (oysters, crab), Pumpkin Seeds, Red Meat, Chickpeas and Pork

Vitamin A/Beta Carotene

Vitamin A helps to support your body’s natural defences including the mucous barriers in your eyes, lungs and gut which help trap bacteria and other infectious agents. Good sources: Sweet Potatoes, Mangoes, Carrots, Green Leafy Vegetables, Liver

Bonus Tip: Up your intake of garlic, ginger & turmeric

Not only do these pungent foods add a big boost of flavour to your dishes, but they also deliver a ton of immune-boosting benefits, including antiviral and antibacterial properties.

If you’d like further advice on how to support your health using dietary medicine, lifestyle advice and supplementation for your immune system then book an appointment to see us at Perth Health Care Center.

Extra Support

For extra nutritional support and to access the best supplementation advice and routine for you as an individual, book an Express Immune boosting 20-minute online appointment.

During our 20-minute Express Immune Boosting online consultation, our nutritionists will holistically assess current dietary and lifestyle factors, pre-existing conditions, and medications to provide dietary, lifestyle and nutritional supplement advice to support your immune health.

After each appointment, you’ll also receive an immune support eBook including, recipes and a personalised practitioner only supplement prescription.