i can’t count how many people around me are coming down with a winter cold/flu. i’m in the process of trying to boost up my immune system and fight the good fight and not end up in bed for a few days. the odds are stacked against me. half of the people at my restaurant have been sick as well as the kids at my daughters’ school and i’ve been on six flights in the past 10 days. i can feel the colds lurking around and waiting to pounce. i usually remember to amp up my vitamin c intake when this season starts to come around. (i add 1 000 mg of the powdered form to water with fresh lemon juice two to three times a day). there are things we can do to try to up our chances for staying healthy: getting enough rest keeping our hands washed and drinking plenty of water are the top three. the good news is there are many foods in our kitchens that are beneficial to keeping our immune system strong and in fighting condition. at the top of the list are: 100 percent orange juice (preferably fresh squeezed). avocado. tomatoes. bell peppers. broccoli. garlic. grapefruit. lean meat. yogurt or kefir (not one too high in sugar). the great thing is you can use these foods throughout your day: a glass of fresh orange juice and yogurt is a healthy start to the day. you can add avocado tomatoes and turkey to a salad or a sandwich on whole-grain bread for lunch. for dinner i love to make a broth with lots of slivered garlic when i feel a cold coming on. i’ll use already made organic chicken broth and sliver about 3-4 cloves or garlic and add a lot of lime or lemon to the broth. if i have fresh ginger i will grate this into the heating broth as well. finely chopped up broccoli is perfect tossed in at the end. add a couple of cups of baby spinach (to 4 cups of broth) as well or thinly cut up kale or chard. this will give an additional boost of vitamin c. another use for grapefruit is in a salad. you can toss avocado and grapefruit segments with mixed lettuces. add extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice salt and cracked pepper for a healthy delicious salad that will be on your side in a fight against a cold.
what kinds of foods will boost my immune system?