Time for a new guest blog by nutritionist Anita Mulderij, with appropriate tips for the 'cold season'.
Anita Mulderij: 'Autumn has started. It's getting colder, it's raining more and the evenings are getting shorter. This puts your immune system to the test, because the colder temperatures make us more susceptible to a cold or the flu. With a healthy diet you can do a lot to prevent disease or to heal faster. Read below what it is best to eat to give your immune system a helping hand.
Prebiotics and probiotics
Not all bacteria are bad for you. There are also good bacteria that support intestinal function. These good bacteria are called probiotics. They prevent bad bacteria from entering the bloodstream, small intestine or large intestine. You can also think of them as an army that guards our health. 70% of our immune system is in the gastrointestinal tract, so the good bacteria are at work there. Feed yourself with prebiotics and probiotics to keep this immune system as strong as possible. Prebiotics support the probiotics.
To get prebiotics, it is important that you eat enough vegetables such as asparagus, artichokes, leek and onion. Other options include beans, oatmeal, quinoa, apples, berries, bananas, citrus fruits, kiwi, flax seeds, chia seeds, and garlic. Probiotics are in yogurt, kombucha, kefir, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh and soy sauce. Therefore, eat these regularly for a healthy intestinal flora and a strong immune system.
Recovery Food
If you are sick or have ailments, you naturally want to recover as quickly as possible. At those times, consume more than the following foods:
– Garlic. It is antibacterial and therefore ensures a faster recovery from your cold and other infections.
– Green tea. It ensures that more antibodies are produced to fight the germs.
– Raw honey. It is antibacterial and suppresses coughing. So add a few teaspoons of honey to your green tea if you have a cold.
– Elderberries have antiviral properties. They therefore ensure that your cold does not last as long. Make it into tea and before you know it you'll be back on top!
Basic Nutrition
Of course everything revolves around a healthy foundation. If you have a balanced diet, you are more likely to feel healthy and fit and you reduce the risk of ailments and disease. A balanced diet consists of sufficient vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, kernels, oils, legumes, oatmeal, quinoa, sweet potatoes and avocado. That way you get your important natural fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
For a strong immune system it is important to avoid the following nutrients:
1. Trans fats
Make sure you get as little trans fats as possible from processed packaged foods. Instead, take more products that contain healthy natural fats, such as olive oil or avocado.
2. Sugars In addition, take as little sugar as possible. Added sugars reduce the function of white blood cells, which play an important role in the body's defense system. In addition, they increase the risk of inflammation, which affects the immune system. Also make sure you get enough protein and zinc to prevent that inflammation. Too low a level of this results in a less functional immune system.
Most importantly:listen to your body Finally, learn to listen to your body. It can tell you a lot about what it needs and what it doesn't. In addition to nutrition, it is important to get enough sleep, relax, exercise and laugh. Pay some attention to that every day and enjoy it, and you'll get through autumn healthy and fit.'
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Text:Anita Mulderij | Image:Shutterstock
