Trials and Trimphs

Of all the various measures we have adapted to fight this biggest war of the modern era against an invisible enemy including social distancing and staying home to minimize exposure, the most imperative, I feel, is “to be healthy and remain healthy”.

One has to be fit to fight it out. But how do you define ” Fitness”? Is it only the physical fitness that matters? How do you look after the components of fitness. If your bodies are the soldiers in this war, your mind is the command centre and your heart, the relief squad.

So, in a nutshell, fitness is not just about “physical fitness” per se, but is to align the components of fitness : healthy mind, body, thought and emotion. Nevertheless, your emotional and mental health is equally important to be taken care of as is your physical health, through such critical and stressful times.

Let’s look into each aspect of health and what can we do to keep a fine balance between them.

The domain that all of us give prime importance to, is of course , physical fitness. It is of vital importance to optimise one’s immune system in order to stay physically healthy and it’s best to do it in a way that is natural, least intrusive and with minimal side effects. I strongly believe that good nutrition, mindful eating habits can help you boost your immune system more naturally than anything else.

Exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, reducing stress, limiting alcohol consumption can go a long way in helping you to achieve this goal.

There cannot be any better time than this to make these healthy lifestyle changes. Developing sustainable healthy eating habits should be a priority. Studies show that regularly consuming certain foods accentuate your body’s ability to strengthen the immune system. So what foods are good for the immune system?

Being a vegetarian, I explore here the plant kingdoms tried and tested resources that have helped the world over centuries, in different situations but in similar ways.

Garlic:
A plant based species used in seasoning, garlic contains a component called “Allicin” which is thought to boost the immune system and help fight infections. Eat raw garlic often, if possible, over the cooked one. Do remember, raw garlic is much more effective because it loses some of its powerful benefits, when cooked.
Garlic also contains organosulfur compounds that act as anti-clotting agents by inhibiting platelet aggregation and may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Researchers also believe these organosulfur compounds may be protective against cancer.

Citrus Fruits/ Vitamin C:

Citrus fruits essentially contain Vitamin C, and there is solid evidence that Vitamin C increases the production and function of white blood cells (Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University), which are highly instrumental to mount a fight against and kill the bacteria. Thus, by fighting infections, they help boosting the immune system.
Talking about Vitamin C, there are wide range of foods/ veggies that contain vitamin C moderate to high amount. A few being listed here:

Veggies:
Bell Peppers: Bell peppers contain more amount of vitamin C than most fruits and vegetables.
Green peppers, Broccoli, Red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Snow peas, Cabbage, White potatoes, Sweet potatoes, Avocadoes, Asparagus
and Kale.

Fruits:
Oranges, Kiwi, Guava, Lychee, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Pineapple, Cantaloupe, Mango, Avocado

Probiotics:
Recent research has shown that probiotics help in regulating host immune response and preventing bacterial and viral infections. They improve the gut flora and build up a healthy digestive system. Hence, probiotics are highly recommended as a means of boosting the immune system. According to Harvard Health, probiotics can improve immune function, protect against hostile bacteria, and improve digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. What can you eat/ drink so as to include probiotics in your diet? This includes yoghurt fortified with probiotics, probiotic capsules or probiotic immunity shots.

Green Tea
So why choose green tea over all other types of tea? Simply as green tea is not processed like black tea, retaining protective substance called polyphenols (BBC). These green tea polyphenols are flavonoids, which act as potent antioxidants, helping you to cleanse those unwanted toxins out of your system. Green tea also can potentially boost your energy, a bonus when you are feeling a little under the weather.
Boil some hot water, toss a tea bag in a cup and enjoy the booster dose of energy/ immunity. There is a wide variety of green teas to choose from right from chamomile to herbal blends. So, you are spoilt for choices here.

Honey:
Recent published literature emphasizes the utility of honey in immunity building. Not only does it have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties,a new research has suggested it may also have antiviral effects and might even help protect your body from flu. An everyday home ingredient, it is hugely beneficial for health, particularly for its immune boosting capabilities. It is advisable though to consume honey in moderation, given the fact it does raise the blood sugar level. Amongst the wide varieties of honey available in the market, raw honey, particularly Manuka honey is the best. ALways check for the MGO levels on the bottle of Manuka honey.

Supplements:

Vitamin C: We are well aware of the proven benefits of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that can strengthen your body’s natural defenses.Vitamin C supplements can be taken on a daily basis either stand alone or as a concoction with other multivitamins.

Supplements containing Zinc: Zinc, an important mineral, is integral in the production of white blood cells, which constitute our front-liners in defence mechanism against various pathogens. Zinc makes this possible. Speak to a qualified health practitioner regarding zinc type and dosage as too much can depress the immune system.
Some vegetarian sources of zinc include baked beans, Pumpkin seeds, Cashews and Chickpeas among others.

Turmeric:
Turmeric contains a substance called Curcumin. It is a magical spice that not only helps improve memory, beat depression, but also a natural way to help bolster the immune system by increasing the immunomodulating capacity of the body.
It has potent antimicrobial and anti inflammatory properties. Add extra amount of turmeric to your daily routines, either through cooked food or through turmeric containing drinks, turmeric latte, for example.

Mushrooms
Certain mushrooms, such as Shiitake, have anti-oxidative properties, which can boost the immune system.
Amongst the many benefits, mushrooms have been shown to activate white blood cells that fight various invading agents.

Fermented Foods
Fermented foods such as kefir (fermented milk) and kimchi (Korean cabbage–spicy fermented food) are enzyme-rich and contain good bacteria, which help to achieve a balance in your digestive system. This all-important balance can boost immunity over time.

Blueberries And Raspberries
Both of these are known to the world for their anti-oxidative nature.
In addition, raspberries and blueberries contain Vitamins C and K, calcium, manganese as well as iron. Many other nutrients and vitamins are found in smaller amounts in both of these tiny powerhouses which help strengthen the immune system.

Others:
Not to miss out on other sources of antioxidants and anti inflammatory food. Keep snacking on these :
Nuts (Brazil, almonds)
Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
Low / No sugar yogurt
Broccoli
Spinach

To conclude, while you are staying home, invest this time in self healing, looking after your health in the best way. Make use of this time constructively to self educate about importance of nutrition, mindful eating, choosing right options for yourself that help your body to fight it off.. Make conscious decisions to build on healthy habits. Be it eating or lifestyle changes. It is not that difficult. These simple additions to your daily routines can go a long way in helping you to boost your immune system. Make sure you eat these foods regularly to reap their magical benefits.

At the same time, don’t forget to stay happy, emotionally well fed as happy minds lead to healthy body. Unhappy and stressed minds can never hold together a healthy body in the same premise. So, take time off to do at least ” one such thing/ activity” be music, dance, painting , talking to your friends/family , each day that brings a smile on your face. Do it, do it now… It will act as a stress buster, release good hormones and in turn boost your immunity.

Healthy food, moderate exercise, adequate sleep, less stress.. that’s what an ideal balanced life is all about, isn’t it?. Let’s strike that balance now !!! Stay fit to fight it off!!!

Trishna Sumer.

#Stayhomestaysafe #govegetarian
#foodtoboostimmunity