Eating Well for Super Immunity in the Winter Months

A healthy immune system is vital for helping your body deal with infections caused by viruses, bacteria, fungus, and environmental toxins. As the winter months approach, it becomes even more important to support your immune system by consistently eating a balanced diet, exercising, and making healthy lifestyle choices. But the real fuel for a strong immune system is using food as medicine.

Super Soup
An immunity-boosting diet includes light, easily digestible meals throughout the day, especially soup. A myriad of health benefits and flavors are derived from the herbs, vegetables, and broth. Soups also can help curtail the onset or ease the symptoms of colds and flu. Look for soups that include immunity-enhancing ingredients such as ginger, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and a variety of veggies and herbs in a broth-base. As always, food made from scratch is best!

Super-Immunity Diet Guidelines

• Include healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil.
• When it comes to seasoning your foods, incorporate a variety of herbs and spices for flavor.
• For veggies, choose steamed broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.
• Fermented foods such as miso and yogurt help promote healthy intestinal flora and combat harmful bacteria in the GI tract.
• Limit red meat; instead, eat moderate amounts of fish and poultry.
• It's also smart to limit sugar in your diet. Studies have shown excessive sugar intake can interfere with optimal immune system function.
• As far as beverages, the constituents in green tea have been shown to be both anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing.

Cheers to your good health this winter!

Image Attribution: klenova/bigstockphoto.com
References

Power Up Your Gut with Fermented Foods

Fermented foods may be setting trends on The Huffington Post, but these nutrient-potent foods have been around for thousands of years in Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and German cultures. For people living without modern medicine and refrigeration, fermentation was a simple means of food preservation and a way to imbue foods with the health-enhancing properties of the live bacteria the gut needs to stay in balance. Fermented foods are a potent source of probiotics, which research has shown are essential to powering up the mucosal immune system in your digestive tract and producing antibodies to pathogens. Both are key to helping you maintain vibrant health.

You may not even realize just how many fermented foods you already enjoy in your diet (see list). Incorporate more of these probiotic powerhouses into meals, and put those good-for-you organisms back into action in your gut.

Fermented Foods Short List

• Cultured Dairy: Yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, sour cream, some cheeses
• Veggies: Beets, radishes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, kimchi, green beans, sauerkraut
• Condiments fermented at home or commercially: ketchup, relish, salsa, chutney
• Other: Miso, tempeh, tofu, soy sauce

Fermented Food Facts & Tips

• All fermented foods must be kept cool to maintain the live cultures.
• Food labels must be marked "fermented."
• Fermented and "pasteurized" do not go together. Pasteurization kills live cultures.
• Pickled is not the same as fermented (unless indicated on the label). Pickled foods are soaked in vinegar or brine.
• Choose organic, non-GMO items or locally farmed products.
• Start with small servings of fermented foods, one to two times a day.
• Toss fermented veggies into salads; enjoy as a snack or as a side dish.
• Add a spoonful or two to your morning smoothie (e.g., beets, kefir).

Food for Thought
Fermenting foods on your own may seem intimidating and difficult. Here are some resources and recipes for beginners and pros alike.

• Nourishing Days Fermenting for Beginners
• Cultures For Health Fermented Vegetables: The Basic Culturing Process
• Homemade Mommy 20 Kid-friendly Fermented Recipes
• Girl Meets Nourishment 56 Awesome Fermented Food and Drink Recipes
• PaleoLeap Fermented Food Recipes

Resources

• Chilton, S., J. Burton, and G. Reid. "Inclusion of Fermented Foods in Food Guides Around the World." Abstract. Nutrients 7, no. 1 (January 2015): 390-404.
• The Huffington Post. Headlines on fermented food trend.
• Mercola, J. "Fermented Foods: How to 'Culture' Your Way to Good Health." Accessed February 2015.
• Rawlings, D. Fermented Foods for Health: Use the Power of Probiotic Foods to Improve Your Digestion, Strengthen Your Immunity, and Prevent Illness. Fair Winds Press: 2013.
• Schwenk, D. Cultured Food for Life: How to Make and Serve Delicious Probiotic Foods for Better Health and Wellness. Hay House, Inc.: 2013.
• Williams, D. "Fermented Foods that Boost Digestive Health." Reviewed February 6, 2014.

Image Attribution: wollertz/bigstock.com

Homemade Kimchi

Kimchi (aka kimchee or gimchi) is a traditional fermented Korean main dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It is often described as spicy and sour. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made from napa cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber as a main ingredient. In traditional preparation, kimchi is fermented in jars stored underground for months.

Ingredients:
Try turnips, okra, beans, eggplant, or other favorite vegetables that are in season.

• 1 daikon radish or a few red radishes, sliced into half moons
• 2 carrots, sliced into half moons
• 2 green tomatoes or tomatillos, chopped
• 1 medium onion (leeks, scallions, or shallots may be substituted, to taste)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium-size chile peppers (jalapeno for mild heat, habanero for more kick), chopped
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon any brand Himalayan pink salt

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. "Massage" the mixture with your hands, grabbing handfuls and squeezing repeatedly until vegetables are wilted and excess water is squeezed out.
2. Spoon kimchi mixture into a quart-size jar with a wide mouth. Pack tightly, pressing hard until brine rises; the vegetables must be submerged to avoid mold forming. Loosely cover jar with a lid.
3. Allow kimchi to ferment at room temperature for about a week. Each day, press the mixture down to keep vegetables submerged in the brine. The longer it ferments, the more sour it becomes.

When kimchi has fermented to your taste, store in the refrigerator.

Image Attribution: Fudio/bigstock.com