Subscribe to our newsletter
The latest Core Spirit news, articles, and products, sent straight to your inbox.


10 superfoods to boost your immune system this autumn
Oct 2, 2019

Core Spirit member since Sep 20, 2019
Reading time 2 min.

Autumn is notorious as the season of colds and flu. As the days get darker, we tend to feel a bit more rundown and tired than usual, which is when cold weather bugs can strike. We found top 10 superfoods that will fend off autumn viruses and colds, and keep your immune system fighting fit during the colder months.

1. Berries. High in fiber, berries are naturally sweet, and their rich colors mean they are high in antioxidants and disease-fighting nutrients.

How to include them: When berries are not in season, it is just as healthy to buy them frozen. Add to yogurt, cereals, and smoothies, or eat plain for a snack.

2. Fish. Fish can be a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease.

How to include it: Buy fresh, frozen, or canned fish. Fish with the highest omega-3 content are salmon, tuna steaks, mackerel, herring, trout, anchovies, and sardines.

3. Leafy greens. Dark, leafy greens are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, as well as several phytochemicals (chemicals made by plants that have a positive effect on your health). They also add fiber to the diet.

How to include them: Try varieties such as spinach, swiss chard, kale, collard greens, or mustard greens. Throw them into salads or sauté them in a little olive oil. You can also add greens to soups and stews.

4. Nuts. Hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans — nuts are a good source of plant protein. They also contain monounsaturated fats, which may be a factor in reducing the risk of heart disease.

How to include them: Add a handful to oatmeal or yogurt, or have as a snack. But remember they are calorically dense, so limit to a small handful. Try the various types of nut butter such as peanut (technically a legume), almond, or cashew. Nuts are also a great accompaniment to cooked veggies or salads.

5. Olive oil. Olive oil is a good source of vitamin E, polyphenols, and monounsaturated fatty acids, all which help reduce the risk of heart disease.

How to include it: Use in place of butter or margarine in pasta or rice dishes. Drizzle over vegetables, use as a dressing, or when sautéing.

6. Whole grains. A good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, whole grains also contain several B vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They have been shown to lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease and diabetes.

How to include them: Try having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. Substitute bulgur, quinoa, wheat berries, or brown rice for your usual baked potato. When buying bread at the supermarket, look to see that the first ingredient is “100% whole wheat flour.”

7. Yogurt. A good source of calcium and protein, yogurt also contains live cultures called probiotics. These “good bacteria” can protect the body from other, more harmful bacteria.

How to include it: Try eating more yogurt, but watch out for fruited or flavored yogurts, which contain a lot of added sugar. Buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit. Look for yogurts that have “live active cultures” such as Lactobacillus, L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus. You can use yogurt in place of mayonnaise or sour cream in dips or sauces.

8. Cruciferous vegetables. These include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, and turnips. They are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals including indoles, thiocyanates, and nitriles, which may prevent some types of cancer.

How to include them: Steam or stir-fry, adding healthy oils and herbs and seasonings for flavor. Try adding a frozen cruciferous vegetable medley to soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes.

9. Legumes. This broad category includes kidney, black, red, and garbanzo beans, as well as soybeans and peas. Legumes are an excellent source of fiber, folate, and plant-based protein. Studies show they can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

How to include them: Add to salads, soups, and casseroles. Make a chili or a bean-based spread such as hummus.

10. Tomatoes. These are high in vitamin C and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

How to include them: Try tomatoes in a salad or as a tomato sauce over your pasta. You can also put them in stews, soups, or chili. Lycopene becomes more available for your body to use when tomatoes are prepared and heated in a healthy fat such as olive oil.

Be healthy!


Leave your comments / questions for this practitioner

To write a comment please
or
Services
Category filter
Concern filter
Type filter
Sort
 

All categories

Related Articles

View All
Raw Food Diet
Mar 19 2021
Top Vegetables To Detox Your Body

If you are always on the go, you are more likely to binge on fast foods and also drink less water.

These lifestyle habits are quite obviously take a toll on your system, and therefore, it becomes extremely vital for you to clean your insides!

A detox di…

Demi Powell
3 min.
Enochian Magic
Aug 8 2019
The Illusions Created in Ancient Temples by Amazing Inventions

Imagine you are in an ancient temple, dimly lit by rays of sun peaking in. A worshipper lighting a flame on the altar, and steps back. A statue with the altar starts to move! It pours libations to the god for whom the temple is constructed. A door behind …

Demi Powell
4 min.
Buddhism
Mar 23 2021
How to know if you're actually busy, or you just have a lot on

It was Michael Neill who first raised my awareness to this distinction. Have a read and see what occurs to you.

What are we looking at here?

A couple of people in my life this week have been in touch about feeling stressed and anxious even though they d…

Helen Amery
1 min.
Apr 17 2020
My Journey through Life...

Battling with self-confidence growing up, being a little over weight, following all the diets that girls did, trying to be as pretty as all the popular girls, as confident as them, as academic, the struggles of trying to fit in at school, somehow feeling …

Katya Alves
Registered individuals enjoy all the possibilities of Core Spirit.