We are in the midst of the second wave of COVID 19, with case numbers rising, hospitals filling up, and restrictions being put in place all over the world. The pandemic is dragging on. It’s frustrating. It’s scary. It is taking a toll on all of us. But you have control over your own health. Self care has never been more important than now!
Your overall health impacts your immunity both in terms of how severe your symptoms will be if you get sick, and how fast your recovery will be. It is well recognized that individuals with preexisting health conditions are the ones that are struggling to recover from COVID, and have the highest death rates.
Food choices impact your health, and can help manage many of those preexisting health conditions.
Let’s take a quick look at some simple things you can do to keep your immunity up:
DIETARY TIPS
Ditch the Sugar: Sugar is inflammatory
Best Choices:
- Eat meals with fat and protein. This will reduce your cravings for sugar. Eggs and avocado make a great breakfast. A salad with grilled chicken and olive oil is an easy lunch.
- Sweeten muffins and baked good with dried fruit instead of sugar. Dates are excellent for this purpose.
- Enjoy herbal teas or fresh vegetable juices. Cut out sugary drinks like juice, soda, energy drinks or added sugar in tea and coffee.
- Make your own desserts and use a bit of honey or maple syrup. Cut the amount of sweetener used to 1/2 of what the recipe calls for.
Eat foods that are anti-inflammatory.
Best Choices:
- Consume olives and olive oil, or avocado and avocado oil for anti-inflammatory fats.
- Add ginger, garlic and onion to your cooking — great in stir fries, curries, or pretty much any dish. These add amazing flavour to any meal, and are anti-inflammatory — a double win.
- Fill 1/2-3/4 of your plate with vegetables at all of you meals — yes, that includes breakfast too! Or you might like berries with breakfast, which are a good low sugar fruit packed with anti-oxidants.
Supplement with vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is correlated with increased severity of COVID (1), and optimal levels of vitamin D reduce your risk of infections, severity and death (2). This is a no brainer!
Best Choices:
- Choose a vitamin D that is in liquid form either in drops or gel capsules. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so can only be absorbed with fat. The liquid and gel caps use fat as the carrier solution. Additionally it’s a good idea to take your vitamin D with a meal that has some fat (like the olive or avocado discussed earlier).
OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO
Your immunity is also impacted by your mood. Feeling lonely? Set up regularly scheduled calls or chats with family and friends.
Go for a walk. Going for regular walks, long or short, has many benefits including fresh air, exercise, improved sleep and mood boosting. That is a lot of great stuff for something as simple as walking. Even though it’s winter, this is an important and simple thing you can do for yourself.
What will you do this week to strengthen your body against COVID?
Happy, Healthy Eating!
Tracey