Well the answer to the question is YES! The right foods can prevent you from getting sick and help you recover quicker if you do fall ill. The problem is that staying healthy seems almost impossible when your children bring home an illness or you got sneezed on in the subway, a co-worker keep coming to work when they should be calling in sick!
However, don’t doubt your immune system as it’s an incredible thing. The bacteria in your gut is actually a powerful army willing to fight on your behalf, but only if you feed them properly. And if you do get sick, certain foods can help you recover quicker.
What you eat today can determine whether or not you get sick tomorrow.
The immune system is your best line of defense.
To stay healthy, energetic and sick-day-free, we have to strengthen our immune systems.
How the immune system works:
Our body’s battle for immunity begins in the mouth. Bet you didn’t know that your saliva contains powerful antimicrobials like lysozyme, alpha-amylase and lactoferrin. Any germs that sneak past those will confront our stomach’s hydrochloric acid. Should they still survive, they’ll go up against the proteins and chemical compounds in our digestive system that break down bad bacteria.
Finally, our own personal good bacterial population goes to work. They prevent bad bacteria from entering our bloodstream or taking root in our small intestine and colon. Those good bacteria are called probiotics.
Feed your bacteria.
If you want those bacteria to work for you, you’ve got to feed them. They need nutrient-dense, fiber-rich whole foods. That’s why a balanced whole-foods diet is your best insurance against all kinds of viruses and infections.
In other words, if your diet is lousy, you’ll get sick more often and stay sick for longer. Eating poorly while you’re sick will only make you sicker. Good nutrition, on the other hand, enables your body to deliver a swift roundhouse kick straight to those germy invaders.
Prebiotics and probiotics.
Prebiotics ( bacteria food), are a form of semi-digestible fiber. You should get at least two to three servings of prebiotic-rich foods each day, a lot more if you’re unhealthy and need extra support from your gut flora.
Some of the best whole-food of prebiotics are:
* Vegetables: asparagus, garlic, leeks and onions
* Carbs: barley, beans, oats, wheat and potatoes
* Fruits: apples, bananas, berries and kiwifruit
If you’re healthy, aim for one to two servings of probiotic-rich foods each day (more if you are trying to prevent or alleviate a medical problem).
Is there tricks to help you get un-sick quick?
Certain foods can help you kick that crummy feeling quicker. For example:
- Garlic: It acts as an antibiotic and lessens the severity of colds and other infections.
- Chicken soup: It provides fluids and electrolytes and may contain anti-inflammatory properties that decrease cold symptoms.
- Green tea: It boosts the production of B cell antibodies, helping us rid ourselves of invading pathogens.
- Honey: It has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and helps suppress coughs. A few teaspoons in a cup of green tea are all you need.
Are you eating regularly?
The power of specific foods give your body is great, but if you really want to give your immune system a boost, consider how you eat most of the time.
- How much are you eating? Consistently over or under eating could compromise how the immune system responds to invaders.
- Hooked on sugar? Added sugars and high-glycemic-load diets may reduce white blood cell function and encourage inflammation, damaging your overall immune system.
- Not getting enough protein? In general, one palm-size portion of protein for women and two palm-size portions for men should be included at each meal.
- Vitamins: Lots of fruit and vegetables are needed to get the vitamins and minerals your immune system needs. That includes iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, selenium, copper, folic acid and vitamins A, C, D, E, B6 and B12. So, boys and girls, do what your mother told you and eat your veggies.
An overall, healthy balanced diet that supports your immune system is your best bet to avoid getting sick in the first place.