I am Dr. Monique May, Board-certified Family Physician and Founder of Physician in the Kitchen™. Through my videos and best-selling book, MealMasters: Your Simple Guide to Modern Day Meal Planning, I help busy households enjoy healthy eating without impacting their hectic schedules. As the storm of coronavirus rages across our nation (as of this writing the US has leap-frogged past both China and Italy with over 85,000 cases), my fervid prayer is that you are doing all you can to stay healthy. During these stressful times, we are all dealing with the physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and economical effects of the uncertainty we face. We are being asked to #stayhome, #flattenthecurve, #coveryourcough, #washyourhands, all while being #apartbutnotalone. One of the ways you can take care of your self is to be sure to exercise, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat as healthily as you can. Today I will share what foods you should be eating to boost your immune system during this time. At the beginning of cold and flu season I did a 3-part video series (click here to watch Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) on what foods boost immunity…little did I know then what was to come. This list is not all-inclusive, so I want to focus on those that will store well for the days and weeks to come and can be used in a variety of dishes.
- Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits are pretty much always in season. They are loaded with Vitamin C which helps your white blood cells do their job which is to fight infection. Your body does not store Vitamin C, so you need to eat foods that contain it daily. Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi, papaya, and sweet potatoes are good sources of Vitamin C also. Quick tip: make a fruit salad with strawberries, kiwi, papaya, and cantaloupe and top with fresh mint for a power-packed jump start to your day.
- Bell peppers (red, yellow, green, and orange) are also high in Vitamin C (twice as much as an orange). They can be frozen (either buy them fresh and slice them yourself or buy them already frozen). They also add fiber and are easily added to stir-fry, chili, soups, casseroles, pizza, etc. They can be stuffed with quinoa or rice and made into a meal. I make mine with mushrooms, onions, quinoa, ground tofu, and tomato sauce topped with cheese.
- Ginger has anti-inflammatory effects and can help combat nausea as well. You can buy fresh ginger for pennies. Just peel the outer covering off and grate with a microplane. Ground ginger is good to have in your spice rack as well. It can be added to green tea to boost its immune-boosting benefits. I like to drink what I call a 3-fer: water with lemon, basil, and ginger. Fill your water bottle (the larger the better) with sliced lemons (well-washed of course), a few sprigs of basil, and a tiny bit of ginger powder (start low and add to taste because it can be peppery if you add too much) and sip on that throughout the day. Not only will you stay well-hydrated but you will get all the benefits of basil as well, which also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidants effects.
- Garlic contains many minerals and vitamins, and has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Spinach is high in antioxidants and fiber and helps increase your body’s infection-fighting abilities. The possibilities are endless: a simple sautee’, or added to soups, casseroles (even lasagna or baked ziti), omelets, salads, and smoothies to name a few.
- Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, which is a very powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E also plays a very important role in immune function. Other good sources for vitamin E are avocados and dark leafy green vegetables. Sunflower seeds are also high in Vitamin B6, which may help with symptoms of depression and boost mood, something we all need right now (more on that in a future blog). They also contain the good type of fats that help protect your heart and help with healthy cell growth. Toss them in salads or roast them for a healthy snack. They are also a great (and cheaper) alternative in recipes that call for nuts (go to myeasypesto.com for my pesto recipe and just substitute sunflower seeds for the pine nuts).
- Poultry, such as turkey and chicken, are high in vitamin B6, which is important for healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, which is important for cell function. Chicken soup is beneficial due to its anti-inflammatory effects.
- Yogurt has probiotics that can stimulate your immune system to help you fight disease and maintain a healthy gut as well. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that help your immune system. Avoid yogurts that contain a lot of sugar. Greek yogurt is a great option. It too can be added to smoothies, or used as a substitute for mayonnaise and sour cream. It is a good source of Vitamin B12 which is important for healthy red blood cells. This is great news for vegans and vegetarians because since most Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, and eggs, they run the risk of being deficient.
- Turmeric is a spice that has been known for ages to help as an anti-inflammatory (think: joints). It helps boost the immune system as well, and gives mustard its well-known yellow color. In addition to cooking with it, it can also be added to green tea.
- Green and black tea both have antioxidants, but green tea actually is more potent because of how it’s processed. Green tea is not oxidized (black tea is) so it has more antioxidant effect than black tea. On the other hand, black tea has more caffeine than green tea. Green tea helps strengthen your T cells, a subset of your white blood cells, which are very important in fighting infection, including viruses. Don’t forget about matcha powder, which is powdered green tea. It can be added to smoothies and shakes for an extra boost of immunity.
As I mentioned this list is not all-inclusive. You also need to get foods rich in zinc, selenium, folate, Vitamins A and D, and iron. Salmon and other fatty fish such as tuna and mackerel are good sources for Vitamin D (be sure to get outside for a walk to get it directly from the sun and don’t forget your sunscreen!). Dark leafy greens are sources of folate and iron. Selenium can be found in broccoli, garlic, and tuna. Vitamin A is found in carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and cantaloupe. Zinc is found in seafood, chickpeas (think: hummus) and yogurt. Go to mysupersalad.com for my take on an easy way to combine a lot of these ingredients in one meal.
A word of caution about elderberry syrup: while it is thought to boost the immune system, there are questions whether it may make things worse for COVID-19 patients. We don’t know yet if it causes or contributes to a hyper-immune response that can contribute to respiratory failure. In plain English: it may make things worse by adding fuel to the fire that COVID started and make it hard for a person to breathe and end up on a breathing machine. Since there is not a lot of good research available on its health benefits to begin with, it may be wise to hold off on using it if you think you may have COVID-19.
Right now it is too soon to tell just how long the coronavirus will be with us, and it has definitely already left its lasting effects by changing the way we do things. As we all adjust to the new normal, please keep washing your hands, staying well-hydrated, getting enough solid rest, eating healthy, exercising, and practicing social distancing (or just staying home). If you are sick cover your cough and sneezes and stay home! If your symptoms are getting worse (shortness of breath, fever, or cough), call your local healthcare facility before you go.
For more information, be sure to visit me at DrMoniqueMay.com, and join the #MealMastersCommunity at www.Facebook.com/groups/mealmasters today.
