I have been looking for ways, in addition to providing financial information, to try to be of help during this pandemic when today I received an email from Dr. William Li, NY Times bestselling author of “Eat to Beat Disease”. I’ve read his book and it is filled with great information. He’s also done a great TED talk which is where I first came across his work.
While in times of high stress we may gravitate to comfort foods, often they are not the healthiest when it comes time to fight off disease. He shared in his email 10 foods we can eat to boost our immune system which he claims is one of the best things we can do for ourselves right now to help prevent us from getting this virus.
From Dr. Li’s blog post, here is his list:
- Mushrooms: These increase protective antibodies from your saliva and ward off infection. The good stuff is in the stems as well as the caps so make sure you enjoy both.
- Broccoli Sprouts: Sprouts are baby broccoli plants that are great for salads and smoothies. Research shows that eating these actually pumps up your immune system against viruses.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: EVOO Ramps up the number of your immune cells and activates them.
- Pomegranate Juice: Increases a healthy bacteria in the gut called Akkermansia. Higher levels of this bacteria is associated with an improved immune response.
- Blueberries: Research has shown that blueberries increase certain types of immune cells in healthy people.
- Blackberries: Great source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. They’re great for your gut bacteria, which means they’re great for immunity.
- Oyster Sauce: It’s used for sauces in Chinese food and actually made from oysters. Scientists have shown that extracts made from oysters can boost a healthy immune response and calm inflammation at the same time.
- Tomatoes: A great source of vitamin C. You can eat the tomatoes whole, cook them, or enjoy it as a sauce.
- Green Tea: A natural substance in green tea called EGCG calms inflammation and helps to reset immune systems to healthy levels.
- Pecans: Packed with fiber and omega-3 fats that support immunity.
For more information from Dr. William Li, you can check out his website at https://drwilliamli.com/.
And don’t forget high-quality dark chocolate which is filled with antioxidants. After all, if you’re like me, you know that a day without chocolate is like a day without sunshine. 🙂
Leave a Reply