Staying strong and healthy all winter long can be as simple as adding three immune-boosting foods to your daily plate. The good news is these foods are not only delicious, but likely to be in your fridge or pantry right now. And, increasing your intake just may be easier than you think.
Food fortifier #1: Colorful fruits and vegetables
It’s natural to want to know the ONE food that’s going to help you stay healthy. But the true key to staying healthy is consuming a good mix of nutrient-rich foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables contain not only vitamins and minerals essential for immune defense, but also naturally occurring phytonutrients that help balance our immune system. It’s this nutrient combo that makes them so good for us. Working together, they give us the right blend of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients critical for immune defense. So when it comes to fruits and vegetables, think variety and choose whole or minimally processed whenever possible.
Get more:
- Add raisins and bananas to your morning oatmeal.
- Order extra veggies on your pizza (or an entirely veggie pizza).
- Chop mushrooms, peppers, onions, and garlic in marinara sauce.
- Add celery, carrots, and onions to meatloaf.
Food fortifier #2: Yogurt
You probably think of yogurt as a delicious treat. But it’s also an immune-boosting goody. Yogurt contains probiotics, microorganisms (or live bacteria), that help our bodies function right. In the gut, probiotics help digest food, bring a healthy balance to the gut microflora and even produce vitamins. Eating yogurt can tip the balance in the good bacteria’s favor.
Researchers attribute yogurt’s immune-protective properties primarily to its probiotics.1 Look for “live active cultures” on the label to ensure your yogurt has immune boosting probiotics on board.
Get more:
- Strain regular yogurt and use it as a base for dips in place of sour cream.
- Replace one-third cup oil with one-fourth cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt in brownie and cake recipes.
- Swap in yogurt for butter in macaroni and cheese recipes.
- Top pancakes or waffles with yogurt and berries.
Food fortifier #3: Tea
Drinking a cup of tea is not only soothing, but liquid armor that buttresses your immune system. Green, black, and white teas are all high in two compounds—an amino acid called L-theanine and antioxidants known as the catechins—which have immune-modulating benefits.2
Get more:
- Steep a white, green, or black tea bag in the water you use to make rice or hot cereal.
- Fill a jug of unsweetened ice tea and leave it on your desk to drink throughout the day.
- Order hot tea after a meal when dining out.
- Stop for “tea time” to enjoy a cup of hot tea and take an afternoon mental break.
Another idea to keep your immune system in tip-top shape during the winter (and all year long) is to add ENDUR-C® Vitamin C with Rose Hips to your daily routine. Each sustained-release tablet releases vitamin C at a slow and steady rate—similar to how food is digested—thanks to our advanced wax matrix technology.*
The result is a unique formula that helps keep vitamin C in your body longer and helps eliminate excess loss in the urine. Plus, it’s easy on the stomach and free of the digestive upset typical of regular forms of high-potency vitamin C.*
Many people recognize that vitamin C activates key immune cells. But it has another, often overlooked, immune benefit: Vitamin C helps protect the delicate membranes that line your nose, mouth, throat and intestinal tract.
And, getting enough vitamin C every day has benefits beyond immune health. After all, it’s needed by every cell in your body to work at peak performance.
So eat right, and fill in any gaps with ENDUR-C® Vitamin C to help fortify your immune health.*
References
1. Meydani SN, Ha WK. Immunologic effects of yogurt. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(4):861-72. Review. PMID: 10731490.
2. Preedy VR. Tea in Health and Disease Prevention. San Diego, CA; Academic Press: 2013.
About Endurance Products Company
Endurance Products Company has been a trusted source of quality dietary supplements since 1978. Our sustained-release and extended-release tablets feature a unique vegetable wax matrix that releases nutrients in a slow, steady manner over a period of hours for optimal nutrient absorption and retention.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
