Known as one of nature's more potent remedies, garlic has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Its effectiveness is linked to allicin, the chemical compound responsible for garlic's pungent odor. Studies show allicin inhibits the growth of bacteria and even kills some germs on contact. Ideally, to combat colds and flu, you should eat it raw every day. However, softening garlic by roasting or sautéing will subdue the strong flavor and lend a more palatable sweetness, while still retaining most of its immune-boosting potency.
Long revered in China for both culinary and medicinal reasons, shiitake mushrooms add more than rich flavor to a dish. They help produce natural killer cells, which release a protein into infected cells causing them to self-destruct. They also have unique complex sugars called lentinan, which "trick" your body into feeling threatened kicking your immune system into a high gear.
Tea is more than a comforting beverage. It soothes the throat and relaxes the senses and it helps build up your resistance to infection. Thanks to the air we breathe and much of the food we eat, our body is constantly bombarded with free radicals, which steal electrons from healthy cells and damage their DNA. Green and black teas contain powerful compounds known as polyphenols, which offer up their own electrons to these unstable atoms, rendering them harmless and eliminating the threat.
Oranges offers much more than a sunny start to the day: Just one orange provides more than 100 percent of the daily requirements for vitamin C helping strengthen our immune systems. Acting as a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C fights free radicals that cause disease, helps your body metabolize essential fatty acids and acts as an antihistamine lowering blood levels of defensive chemicals (histamines) released by the immune system that cause stuffiness and congestion.
Proof that big things can come in small packages; blueberries are the ultimate immunity food. A powerhouse of antioxidants, blueberries are also a good source of both vitamins C and E. As vitamin C patrols the body's waters, fat-soluble vitamin E works to protect fatty tissues from free radicals, working together they produce a potent antioxidant effect.
Rich in carotene, sweet potatoes are a key player in the fight against infection. They are rich in vitamin A, which fortifies your skin, the body's first defender, by making it less permeable to germs. Sweet potatoes also contain about 27 % of our daily requirement of vitamin C, and their unique proteins have antioxidant effects.
Beef often gets a bad rap, but the rich zinc content of lean, organic beef or bison can bolster the immune system and just one 4 oz serving provides 42 % of our RDA. Zinc has a well-deserved reputation for shortening the duration of illnesses, increasing white blood cell count by helping replace and repair these important members of the immune team. Looking for a vegetarian source of zinc? A quarter cup of pumpkin seeds packs approximately 17 % of the RDA.
Loaded with nutrients and essential vitamins, spinach also contains folate, important for the production of new cells and 13 different compounds that act as antioxidants.
The "good" bacteria in whole milk plain yogurt--known as probiotics--make an essential contribution to a healthy immune system. The stomach and intestinal tract contain more than 500 different varieties of bacteria, and probiotics help maintain a balance between the good and bad bacteria. Probiotics also decrease acidity in the colon making it uninhabitable for most infection-causing pathogens and allowing for increased mineral absorption. |
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If you would like individual support for your immune system as well as your whole self, I invite you to a free 30-minute initial consultation to begin your individual wellness program. In your session, we will discuss your food/life history, your current concerns and healthy lifestyle goals. Contact me for more information! |
Asian Chicken Soup
Serves 4 to 6
The coconut milk makes this soup rich and creamy while providing healthy fats. It has everything you need for a complete dinner in one bowl - protein, vegetables and complex carbohydrates
1 lb boneless chicken, cut in 1" cubes
3 T coconut or sesame oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1" fresh ginger, minced
1 T red curry paste or 1/4 t ground red pepper
1 tsp cumin
4 cups chicken broth
14 oz can coconut milk
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, quartered, stems removed
2 cups snow peas, halved
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small bunches
1 sweet red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 package udon noodles or 2 packages of ramen noodles, broken up
2 T tamari soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
In a large skillet or pot, cook chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat until lightly browned and no longer pink inside. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining oil to pan. Add garlic, ginger, curry paste and cumin; sauté for 30 seconds. Add in broth, coconut milk, carrots, broccoli, pepper, mushrooms and noodles. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 6 to 8 minutes, until noodles are soft and vegetables are crisp-tender.
Stir in cooked chicken, pea pods, soy sauce and lime juice. Mix completely. Sprinkle on cilantro and serve in large bowls.
Yogurt and Blueberry Parfait
Serving 6
This very pretty looks especially festive presented as individual servings in clear wine and parfait glasses or served home style in a large glass bowl.
2 cups whole milk plain Greek yogurt, drained
1 cup Neufchatel or cream cheese
2 t vanilla
1/4 cup raw or maple sugar
1 lemon, juiced and zested
4 cups blueberries or any other berry
In a blender or food processor, combine yogurt, cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and lemon peel until creamy smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
In each parfait glass, layer 1/2 cup of fruit, about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture, 1/2 cup of fruit, another 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and top with one of the reserved whole berries. Chill or serve immediately.