Lauren RabainoDear Cal Poly students,
I hope most of you got a chance to check out my article from last week. If not, let me help you catch up. The purpose of my weekly column is to directly answer any of your health and nutrition questions. Instead of writing about whatever nutrition topics that I find interesting, I would like to dedicate this column to you, the reader. I hope you will take this opportunity to ask me whatever health-related questions you want to read about. It can be anything; perhaps you want to learn more about this whole “trans-fat” hoopla everyone seems to be talking about, or maybe you want to know more about artificial sweeteners or Creatine supplements. If my four years of education have not provided me with the knowledge necessary to answer your question, I have many other resources that I can use. Whether through consulting one of my nutrition professors or by digging out some of my nutrition textbooks, I will find you an answer.
Another part about this column that you should know is that I am not a nutrition Nazi either. You will not catch me recommending a diet of tofu and water anytime soon. Remember, I am a college student just like you, meaning I drink beer and I eat pizza too. I have a ton of nerdy nutrition/health information that I would love to share with you. I am friendly, approachable, and down-to-earth. Please e-mail me any nutrition/health questions you may have at slbailey@calpoly.edu and I will do my best to answer them.
With that said, let me actually provide you with your weekly dose of nutrition information. It seems like every other person I see is currently fighting off or just getting over a cold. So I figured it wouldn’t hurt to include some of the best foods to help your immune system.
“Poor diet is the biggest cause of a weakened immune system in healthy individuals,” says William Boisvert, Ph.D, an expert in nutrition and immunity at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla. “While an all-around healthy diet is the key to stronger immunity, these particular immune-boosting foods can keep your system in fighting condition.”
Citrus fruits
According to research, eating fresh citrus is one of the best ways to ward off illness and prevent disease. For example, oranges are rich in vitamin C and other nutrients, which are crucial for maintaining a strong immune system. They also offer a good amount of fiber and many other vitamins and minerals that support the immune system, which is especially important during cold and flu season. The amount of vitamin C both in the fruit and in frozen concentrate is considerably higher compared to that of the liquid, ready-to-drink form.
Berries
While all berries offer a great source of vitamins, blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity and can help decrease the stress on the immune system. Antioxidants act like a bouncer; they take care of the rowdy trouble-makers that no one really likes, allowing you to get back to having fun. These wonder berries are known to boost the effectiveness of vitamin C, a strengthener of the immune system. How to eat them: You can buy them frozen and toss them in your morning cereal.
Garlic
This pungent powerhouse may actually help your immune system prevent or defeat bacterial, viral and even fungal infections. The compounds are so strong that consuming raw garlic juice is nearly as effective as Neosporin is for disinfecting minor wounds. Consuming large amounts of raw garlic at the onset of a cold may decrease the duration time of a cold. How to eat it: Add some fresh garlic to your pasta sauce or your stir fry.
Carrots
Carrots contain loads of beta-carotene, which is a powerful phytonutrient that boosts the immune system’s production of infection-fighting cells. How to eat them: To take full advantage of the health effects provided by carrots, eat them fresh and raw. Replace your daily snack of pretzels or chips with baby carrots.
Yogurt
Ingesting live bacteria may not seem like the most appealing way to stay healthy, but your body actually needs specific types of bacteria to remain healthy. Lactobacillus acidophilus is an example of good bacteria that your body needs. How to eat it: Yogurt with live bacterial cultures is a fantastic source of acidophilus. Try to eat a low-fat variety with low sugar (mixed-fruit and vanilla yogurts are loaded with excess calories and sugar).
Sarah Bailey is a nutrition senior, a Mustang Daily nutrition columnist and a member of PULSE. E-mail your questions to her at slbailey@calpoly.edu.