Feed your immune system

I don’t know about you, but in the last week or so it seems that so many people I know have been feeling a bit run down. It’s the time of year for bugs and viruses to do the rounds and whether you have been caught with a cold, or have been lucky enough to escape so far, I am hoping that these ideas will help to build a strong immune system.

We need good nutrition to drive a healthy immune response.

• Eat a rainbow. Colourful, seasonal fruit and vegetables are part of our first-line defence when it comes to immune support. Packed with antioxidants to help protect cells and support immune health, eating an extra portion or two of fruit and veg can help. Pack your plate with dark green and orange coloured fruit and veg like broccoli, kale, chard, leeks, cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash to fill up on the vitamin A precursor, beta carotene. This is important for a healthy immune system and helps to protect our respiratory tract. Berries are a great source of anthocyanins, shown to help support our immunity. Keep an eye out for what’s in season and have a look in the frozen section for good value fruit and veg to supplement your diet with more variety. Remember that one portion is about the size of your fist and we should have a minimum of five portions a day.

• Start taking a vitamin D supplement. It is recommended that adults in the UK take a vitamin D supplement between October and May, simply because we do not get enough of this sunshine vitamin at this time of year. Aim for around 2000iu a day for optimal benefits, but as with any nutritional supplement, check the pack and do not exceed the recommended dose.

• Add more spices to your diet. Spices like turmeric, rosemary, ginger, garlic and thyme can be a tasty addition to your diet if you want to help support your immune system. They have great benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Add them to soups, stews, curries or roasted vegetables and get into the habit of adding spices to your cooking.

• Get enough protein for white blood cell production. Aim to have a portion of protein at each meal and think about the Mediterranean diet for optimal effect - oily fish, nuts and seeds, natural yoghurt, beans and lentils are all good sources of protein.

• We all know that vitamin C is important for a healthy immune response, but did you know that blackcurrants, kiwis, peppers and broccoli could contain more vitamin C than oranges?

• Probiotic foods like kefir and natural yoghurt may help build your immune defence too, so get into the habit of adding these fermented or probiotic foods to your diet every day.

  If you are unlucky enough to be hit with a virus, there are some things that may help to reduce the severity and duration of the effects of the bug. Having a couple of carefully-chosen supplements in your first aid cabinet, alongside your regular cold or flu remedies could be a good idea.

  I would recommend some elderberry syrup. It has anti-viral effects and is easy for children and adults to take. Sometimes it comes with added vitamin C and zinc, both of which have been shown to help. The herb echinacea can be useful too. Of course, if you are taking medication, always check with your pharmacist or GP as there can be drug-nutrient interactions.

  If you are feeling a bit under the weather, take time to rest and recover. Get a few early nights, keep well hydrated and hopefully you’ll be back to full fettle before you know it.