Hi, ‘tis I, Patricia! Are you all well? Have you gotten your flu shot yet? Good, then you are almost ready to go. Let’s explore what you need in the way of food.
You should know that if you are following a balanced WFPB diet then you are most of the way there. How are you doing with your red-orange foods? Are you eating enough yellow vegetables? Are you sure you’ve loaded up on your greens? And you have to have the purple-blue foods, as well. We can’t leave them out.
First, let’s start with liquids. Doctors will tell you that if you want to get sick, then stop drinking enough water. Whether it’s plain, or in the form of herbal teas, or veggie broths, you need liquids. Typically you will drink the equivalent of 5 twelve ounce glasses a day.
But let’s get specific about what you need to eat to help you avoid the flu or a cold. There is no guarantee that you won’t catch either, but you can build up your defenses.
Dark, leafy greens are first on the list. Broccoli, filled with Vitamins A,C and E; spinach, Brussels sprouts have lots of minerals, but are especially loaded with zinc and calcium, which means not only are they super for your bones, but for boosting immunity as well.
In the red-orange group of fruits and vegetables, citrus, such as oranges are high in Vitamin C as are tomatoes and red bell peppers. Pumpkin and sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene in its turn, supports the production of those infection-fighting cells that we need especially at this time of the year.
Season those vegetables with ginger and turmeric. Ginger performs best when you eat it fresh. Turmeric is most used in a powdered form. Two kids from the same family who wear different outfits to accomplish their chores as antioxidants and antimicrobials.
Let’s don’t forget garlic! Fresh raw garlic, with all its pungency, is the mother of those antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral foods. All you need is one small, raw clove to gain the aid of all those amazing garlicky compounds that help us to fight off and prevent infections. And if you crush your garlic, then it releases even more allicin, which is a powerhouse in warding off colds and flu.
Fermented foods, like sauerkraut, miso, kombucha and kimchi are loaded with probiotics, many of which already live in our gut. So these foods also will build our immunity.
Teas, especially green tea, are chock of flavonoids, which are a type of antioxidant.
Green tea is especially loaded with epigallocatechin. It’s nickname is easier to say, EGCG, and its superpower is enhancing immune function. Plus, green tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid, which seems to work in the production of germ-fighting compounds in our T cells.
So eating a balanced diet, drinking lots of liquids, getting enough sleep and exercise will help you get through the season, hopefully free of colds and flu. Good luck. I bet you learned much of this when you decided to go vegan. Which of these did surprise you?
