Immune System Boosting Foods – Bariatric Edition
We are going through a rough time right now. So many things are out of our control. I want to focus on something we can control. I am experiencing increased anxiety, restless nights, poor food choices. The blog I write today, I write for myself and also for all of you reading it. We are all in this together. We need to take care of ourselves as we don’t know how long we will be in this situation.
Enter …. The Immune System …
Our immune system is a complicated system of cells and organs. It’s not a major muscle group that we can feed food and nutrients to and then watch it grow strong. To improve our immune system, we need to be eating a healthy, balanced diet and consuming all the nutrients we require to stay healthy.
We can seriously reduce our risk of getting sick if we stick to eating a diet that nourishes our immune system. There are no “magic foods” but there ARE foods that are high in nutrients that we require to stay healthy. Search for foods that are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We want to eat foods that contain vitamin C, vitamin D, selenium, zinc, and probiotics. These nutrients behave differently and they help increase the activity of white blood cells, decreasing inflammation.
The foods which I include in my “immune system boosting” plan:
- Homemade Bone Broth
- Kefir
- Sweet potatoes
- Green Tea
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Greek Yogurt
- Nuts and Seeds
- Chickpeas
- Ground Flaxseed
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Red/ Orange Peppers
- Cauliflower
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
Here is a sample week (Monday to Friday) of immune-boosting foods and menus.
Monday
Breakfast
2 scrambled eggs with sautéed mushrooms and spinach
Lunch
Cauliflower rice with salmon and a slice of avocado
Dinner
Grilled chicken with broccoli and a side salad
Tuesday
Breakfast
Greek Yogurt topped with nuts, seeds, and blueberries
Lunch
Cauliflower rice topped with chickpeas, kale and cherry tomatoes, topped with olive oil/ lemon juice
Dinner
Pan-fried salmon with Asian Veggies, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers. Top with Kimchi
Wednesday
Breakfast
Low Carb toast with a boiled egg and a teaspoon of peanut butter
Lunch
Chunky mixed veggie soup made with bone broth. Top with shredded chicken.
Dinner
Left-over soup and a 1/4 sweet potato
Thursday
Breakfast
Chia overnight pudding topped with unsweetened coconut
Lunch
Lentil and veggie soup, top with seeds, and lemon juice
Dinner
Omelet with sautéed veggies
Friday
Breakfast
Greek Yogurt with crushed nuts and seeds, top with papaya
Lunch
Small steak and green beans
Dinner
Leftover Steak salad topped with olive oil and squeeze of lemon
I want you to think of “food as medicine”. You need to feed your body the right foods to stay healthy and strong. Keep your immune system on track. Stay away from processed and refined foods and sugars. Eat your way around the “outside of the supermarket”. Don’t be tempted to buy the pre-made stuff.
We are in this together and we will come out of this together – healthy. We need a healthy body to support a healthy mind.
Hugs xo
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