What we eat can significantly impact our overall health, and even how we are affected by COVID 19. People with diabetes, pre-diabetes, and generally compromised immune systems are thought to be more susceptible to severe consequences of COVID 19.
In this article, specially written for those over 40, we identify some common mistakes that damage your immunity, and how you can boost your immune system by avoiding these detrimental triggers.
The main categories of harmful nutrients in your diet and your environment that will likely negatively affect your immune system and weaken it are overexposure to:
SMOKE, ALCOHOL, POLLUTION, and HIDDEN SUGARS
1- Avoid Excessive smoke, alcohol, and pollution
2-No Refined sugars
1- AVOID EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL, SMOKE, and POLLUTION:
Excess alcohol, smoke, and pollution damage our immune system: Smoking and pollution decrease the immune system’s regulatory T cells, and lower lung capacity causing more severe cases of COVID 19. To boost your immune system, avoid alcohol, especially between meals, and try to walk at times other than rush hours. Using an air purifier can help filter harmful particles.
2- Stay away from hidden refined sugars:
Refined sugars cause disturbances in your gut, which can lead to chronic inflammation, and a related suppressed immunity.
Here is the trick:
Refined sugars do not necessarily look like obvious sweets like candies, cakes, or other sugary treats. All of us over 40 have a long experience with food, but are we reading the labels that often reveal just how much sugar a product contains?
- some flavored dairy
- bread
- sweet, exotic salty foods.
- cereals with added sugars
- fruit juices
One glass of orange juice?
Let’s do the math:
One glass= 2 cups
1 cup= 3 oranges
2 cups= 1 glass = 6 oranges !!! without the beneficial pulp = fibers
This surge of sugar will get into your bloodsteam. Oranges contain Vitamin C, which is suitable for your immune system, but the excess sugar will not be conducive to your good health.
If you eat any treats, the “when” you eat them is critical to boosting your immune system.
Eat cake, cookie, muffins in moderation, maybe once a week AFTER a meal as a dessert, not between meals or to fill you up.
A healthy meal contains a variety of non-processed foods with no hidden sugars.
Go ahead – enjoy a slice of cake or a glass of wine or sweet drink after a well balanced meal, on occasion…but not as a habit!
What TO DO TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Check labels for added simple sugars, carbohydrates:
Eat a variety of whole foods.
Other tips to boost your immune system:
Avoid fruit juices. Eat an entire piece of fruit instead. It is more filling and less sugary.
Remind your local restaurant not to add sugar to your dishes, especially Chinese and barbequed food.Barbeque sauce is very sugary.
Check your flavored dairy product label: buy the plain version and add fruits.
Remember: honey is sugar- brown sugar is also sugar.
BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
In this article specially written for those over 40, we will identify what damages your immunity and how you can boost your immune system by avoiding those detrimental triggers.
We can impact how badly we can be affected by COVID 19; what’s bad for your body? 2 main categories of harmful nutrients in your diet and your environment THAT WILL NOT BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM BUT WEAKEN IT.
1- Refined sugars
2- Excessive smoke, alcohol, and pollution
1- Stay away from hidden refined sugars:
Refined sugars cause disturbances in your guts, leading to chronic inflammation, and related suppressed immunity.
Here is the trick:
Refined sugars do not necessarily look like sweets: candies, cakes, or other sugary treats. Most of us over 40 have experience with food, but are we all reading the labels?
Watch out for hidden refined sugars:
- some flavored dairy
- bread
- sweet, exotic salty foods.
- cereals with added sugars
- fruit juices
One glass of orange juice?
Let’s do the math:
One glass= 2 cups
1 cup= 3 oranges
2 cups= 1 glass = 6 oranges !!!
Without the pulp= fibers
This surge of sugar will get into your blood. Oranges contain Vitamin C, which is suitable for your immune system, but the excess of sugar will not be conducive to your health.
One cup of juice = 3 oranges.
If you eat any treats, the “when” you eat them is critical to boosting your immune system.
Eat cake, cookie, muffins in moderation, maybe once weekly AFTER a meal as a dessert, not between meals or as a meal.
A meal contains a variety of non processed foods without hidden sugars.
Once a week, enjoy a slice of cake or a glass of wine or sweet drinks after a
meal.
2- AVOID EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL, SMOKE, and POLLUTION:
Excess alcohol, smoke, and pollution damage our immune system: Smoking and pollution decrease the immune system’s regulatory T cells, and lower lung capacity causing more severe cases of COVID 19. To boost your immune system, avoid alcohol, especially between meals, and try to walk at times other than rush hours. Buy an air purifier can help filter harmful particles.
What TO DO TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Check labels for added simple sugars, carbohydrates:
Better: eat a variety of whole foods.
Other tips to boost your immune system:
Instead of juice, eat the whole fruit.
Remind your local restaurant not to add sugar to your dishes
Check your flavored dairy’s label: buy the plain version and add fruits.
Remember: honey is sugar- brown sugar is also sugar.
If you’d like more tips on Nutrition and Aging, click here for more resources.
If you’d like to add pure Green Tea Extracts, and 10 mg a day of Zinc in yoru diet, check out our healthy formula: Bio Fit by Garden Lab on Amazon Prime.
