Winter Wellness - Nourish your body
Every year at this time our health & well-being gets tested. We like to discuss with our practice winter wellness tips - Today is how to Nourish the body with particular foods, supplements and healthy habits.
A new and interesting source of nourishment for the the immune system are fermented foods! Fermented foods have been used for 1,000’s of years for general body health and well-being, but a more focus body of research around the immune response has built up over the last 20-30 years in regards to the specific role of the probiotic bacteria produced in the fermentation process, their role in the gut and for our immune system. There are over 200 different types of Lactic Acid Bacteria produced that have been shown to have disease prevention and antiviral properties. Benefits including T-lymphocyte production, enhance interferon production, enhance NKC activity and have even been shown to suppress viral proliferation specifically in the lungs.
Vitamin D - The immune system king. Adequate vitamin D levels have been shown both to prevent the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections & to reduce their severity if & when you do fall ill. The easiest way to promote vitamin D synthesis is with natural sunlight exposure, however that can be a little harder to do in the winter months. Research shows up to 27% of Kiwis have inadequate vitamin D levels. Two ways to increase levels in the absence of the sun is to increase your consumption of foods that have higher levels of vitamin D. An easily accessible source are eggs, the egg yolks specifically, and seafood, with Salmon being best. The alternative is to supplement. Vitamin D supplements are easy to find and relatively cheap, with approximately 1000 IU’s being the minimum dose.
Vitamin C - And finally, a well known and understood micro-nutrient for both innate and adaptive immune system responses. Vitamin C contributes to immune defense by accumulating in phagocyte cells (the ones that move around your body eating up all the bad guys.) More Vitamin C = More activity. Citrus is key, especially at this time of year, with supplementation being as easy to source as Vitamin D is.
Great and easy sources can be found in all supermarkets or pharmacies, or can be easily made at home with a little time, patience and practice. Fermented vegetables like Sauerkraut and Kimchi are simple and cheap to DIY. Aim to also include fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir.