Have you noticed a loss of libido?
Are you overweight?
Do you smoke?
Is your job sedentary?
Do you spend little time in natural sunlight?
Is your diet high in sugar and refined processed foods?
Do you feel stressed, up and down or just below par?
Are you forgetful?
Is it ages since you had a good night’s sleep?
Do you need coffee or other stimulants to get you through the day?
Is your skin dry or dull?
Do you suffer from indigestion, constipation or bouts of diarrhoea?
Is your neck stiff and sore when you move?
Does your breath smell?
Do you suffer from bleeding gums?
Do you suffer from eye strain?
Do you suffer from frequent headaches?
Can you sometimes hear high-pitched sounds in your ears?
Do you suffer from allergies?
Do you get food cravings or feelings of intense hunger?
Are you prone to thrush or cystitis?
Do your cuts or wounds heal slowly?
Do you suffer from anaemia?
Does your hair lack shine?
Do you often feel fed-up and run down?
If you ticked more than 5 boxes and you can’t find any logical explanation (for example, a stiff neck is to be expected if you slept in a draught; hunger is normal if you haven’t eaten for a few hours and so on), your immune system is definitely in need of a boost. Follow as much of the advice as you can in ‘Part Two: 100 Immune System Boosters’.
If you answered ‘yes’ to only a few questions, your immune system is doing its job well, but it’s still worthwhile reviewing ‘Part Two’ to find ways to turn any ‘yes’ answers you gave into ‘no’ answers.
Making immune-boosting diet and lifestyle choices (#ulink_11169d0e-68cf-5a4e-a2c9-2921c02da5bd)
Danger comes when your immune system is weakened, and invaders remain undetected and start to multiply. Some invaders are so powerful that they trample your body’s immune system, but in the great majority of cases research has shown that making the right diet and lifestyle choices is the most effective way to boost your immunity and protect your health.
Although vaccinations are a good insurance policy against disease, and medications can save lives, the first line of defence against unpleasant illnesses – such as colds and influenza – is to make sure your immune system is as strong and healthy as possible. The 100 immune-system boosters that follow will give you all the information you need to keep your body’s defences strong through informed diet and lifestyle choices. And whether you decide to incorporate one or all 100 boosters into your life, bear in mind that each one is designed not only to keep you as free from illness as possible, but to also help you feel great, look better and live longer.
PART TWO: 100 IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTERS (#ulink_897b5684-85a2-5f11-9303-269779708999)
Boosting immunity with nutrition (#ulink_f78500e1-8d00-560a-8252-9ec88c42e2bc)
1 Go Mediterranean
If you keep your body well nourished with a healthy, balanced diet, you can literally ‘eat yourself well’.
Nutrients are needed for every part of your immune system, and for renewal, repair and defence against infection and illness, so its strength will depend on the quality of your diet. It is therefore important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet that provides an adequate intake of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre.
But what is a healthy, balanced diet? Studies have shown that the so-called ‘Mediterranean diet’ can offer protection against obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, and contains adequate amounts of oily fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, diary products, lean meat or meat substitutes. Saturated fat, salt and sugar intake are limited, and processed, refined foods are off the menu entirely. Olive oil, the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, is an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids that help to lower cholesterol. It is also rich in vitamins and antioxidants that fight cancer and lower the risk of developing degenerative diseases.
In a nutshell, research suggests that the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on a wide variety of fresh whole foods – along with the odd glass of antioxidant-rich red wine – is the template for a healthy immune-boosting diet.
2 Double take
The nutritional benefit that you receive from fruits and vegetables is unparalleled. Experts advise eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day; one way to maximise the variety of immune-boosting vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, is to make sure you eat two different colours of vegetables and fruits with each meal.
Each different-coloured fruit and vegetable contains unique health components that are essential to our health. The phrase ‘eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables’ is a simple way of remembering to get as much colour variety in your diet as possible, so that you can maximise your intake of a broad range of nutrients.
Red: Tomatoes, berries, peppers and radishes contain nutrients that can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumour growth and cholesterol levels, eliminate harmful free radicals, and support joint tissue in arthritis cases.
Orange and yellow: Carrots, yams, squash, oranges, papayas and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that can reduce age-related macular degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones.
White: Mushrooms, pak choi and pumpkins contain nutrients that can activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast and prostate cancers, and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers.
Green: Kale, spinach, cabbage, alfalfa sprouts, mustard greens and collard greens are all examples of green vegetables that contain nutrients that can reduce cancer risk, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, boost digestion, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free radicals, and boost immune system activity.
Blue and purple: Blueberries, pomegranates, grapes, elderberries, aubergines and prunes contain nutrients that boost healthy digestion and act as anti-carcinogens in the digestive tract.
3 Drink your lemons
Drinking a glass of lemon juice diluted with filtered water every morning is the perfect way to kick-start your digestion and boost your immunity at the same time.
Lemons contain bioflavonoids, a group of nutrients that boosts immunity by protecting the cells of your body against environmental pollutants. Along the membrane of each cell there are microscopic parking spaces, called receptor sites. Pollutants, toxins or germs can park here and gradually eat their way into the membrane of the cell, but when bioflavonoids fill up these parking spots there is no room for toxins to park. Bioflavonoids also reduce cholesterol’s ability to form plaques in arteries and lessen the formation of microscopic arterial blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Studies have shown that people who eat the most bioflavonoids have less cardiovascular disease.
Lemon is also the ideal food for restoring the acid–alkali balance in your body. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in water first thing in the morning or adding it to tea, salad dressings (in place of vinegar), baking or cooking, helps maintain your body’s internal balance at a pH that supports healthy bacteria, instead of the viruses and harmful bacteria that thrive in more acidic environments. Apple cider vinegar is another great way to improve your body’s alkalinity, but the taste of lemons is much more pleasant!
