Stress, fear and boredom can cause us to fall off our diets. The simplest and most obtainable method is by simply trying to avoid too much junk food. Opt for more wholesome and clean foods while allowing a variety. Be kind to your self and don’t restrict too much during these times. Listen to your body’s hunger cues and differentiate hunger from cravings. Focus on nourishing your body and keeping your immune system strong. If you are interested in learning more about our nutritional coaching and accountability program, we work remotely and are here to help. Please contact Brook for more information at brook@getevolvefit.com
Immune support Supplements: We asked Sioux Falls GNC owner Casey Nickell what he would recommend. All of these items you can find locally at his store. Vitamin D, Elderberry/Sambucus, and Vitamin C.
Foods that can be immunity boosters*:
✅ Broccoli. Just eat it already. But lightly steamed or blanched. In 2007, University of California researchers demonstrated that sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables – cauliflower, cabbage, kale – switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which then combat the injurious effects of molecules known as free radicals that damage cells and lead to disease.
✅ Oats, apples and nuts. A 2010 University of Illinois study found that soluble fibre – as found in oats, apples, & nuts – reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system. “Soluble fibre changes the personality of immune cells – they go from being pro-inflammatory, angry cells to anti-inflammatory, healing cells that help us recover faster from infection,” said Gregory Freund, a professor in the university’s College of Medicine and a faculty member in the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ Division of Nutritional Sciences.
✅ Leafy greens. A 2011 study found that green vegetables, from bok choy to broccoli, are the source of a chemical signal that is important to a fully functioning immune system. They do this by ensuring that immune cells in the gut & the skin known as intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) function properly.
✅ Shiitake mushrooms. A persuasive 2015 study found adult participants who ate 114 grams of shiitake mushrooms a day, for four weeks, developed better-functioning gamma delta T-cells (tumor killing immuno cells) and reductions in inflammatory proteins. “If you eat a shiitake mushroom every day, you could see changes in your immune system that are beneficial,” said University of Florida’s Professor Sue Percival, who led the study. “We’re enhancing the immune system, but we’re also reducing the inflammation that the immune system produces.”
*Source: The New Daily