We can’t control if we get sick, but we CAN control what we do to optimize our immune system.
It would be silly to say that eating kale will stop COVID-19 from infecting an individual. However, healthful eating and living an overall healthy lifestyle does SO MUCH good for our bodies because it will provide our cells with the health and energy to fight foreign invaders.
Just how Arya trained with Syrio to fight like a knight, we can train our bodies to be the BEST fighters they can be! 💅🏻
How can we do so?
Eating Immune-boosting foods:
Garlic
- Perk of social distancing: you can eat ALL the garlic you want without worrying about the smell of your breath! –who cares what brother #1 and brother #2 think anyways?? 😉
- Garlic enhances the functioning of the immune system and contains compounds like allicin to fight bad bacteria & viruses.
- HOW TO EAT MORE GARLIC:
- Mix in salsa or guacamole, mash into potatoes, add to avocado toast, use in meat or tofu marinade, or throw in a pasta or vegetable dish
- AHTK recipes: garlic meatballs
Mushrooms
- Or what my dad and I like to call… Mini filet mignons. 😉
- Mushrooms have antiviral properties which may protect against infections! Some types of mushrooms, like shiitake, are a FAB source of vitamin D which supports immune system cells.
- HOW TO EAT MORE SHROOMS:
- Sauté mushrooms with another immune-boosting food, garlic, and serve them with eggs, steak, cauliflower pizza, or cauli gnocchi
- AHTK recipes: low carb baked cream cheese spaghetti casserole, lightened up pad thai, healthy pizza casserole, or kale fig cauli pizza
Nuts and Seeds
- Nuts and seeds like almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, a POWERFUL, fat-soluble antioxidant! Vitamin E has been shown to enhance immune responses and protect against some infectious diseases.
- HOW TO EAT MORE NUTS & SEEDS:
- Sprinkle nuts or seeds in your salad, lather up an apple with some peanut or almond butter, add a spoonful of almond or peanut butter to a vitamin rich smoothie for a boost of immune-enhancing power!
- AHTK recipes: double chocolate cranberry muffins, mocha energy balls, almond butter zucchini brownies, no bake chocolate pb cookies, and healthy no bake snickers
Sweet Potato
- Sweet potatoes are an AMAAAZING source of carotenoids.
- Carotenoids are pigments found in plant foods that can turn into the active form of vitamin A.
- Vitamin A enhances immune function! It’s involved in the development of the immune system and plays regulatory roles in cellular immune responses.
- HOW TO EAT MORE SWEET POTATO:
- Roasted in a salad, in a taco with beans and avo, air fried sweet potato, in chili, baked with a tahini drizzle, or blended with hummus
- AHTK recipes:
- Sweet potato toast (an OG recipe), dessert nachos, and 6 ingredient sweet potato pancakes
Animal Protein
- I love a good curveball — are you surprised by this one? 😎 Did you know that red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet??
- Zinc is called the “gatekeeper of the immune system” since the function of nearly all immune cells are highly zinc-dependent.
Ginger
- Gingerols, a chemical compound found in fresh ginger, may boost the immune system by decreasing chronic inflammation.
- HOW TO CONSUME MORE GINGER:
- Ginger tea (pour boiling water over chopped ginger), mix into stir fries, or add to soup!
So, what do we say to COVID-19??
xx hails