Balanced Immune Health

OK, you’ve survived Black Friday.  And along the way, you ‘ve probaby got yourself exposed to a lot of pathgens in the malls.  You and your teen-aged daughter probably went to see “New Moon” and sat in theater seats occupied by countless others in the prior week, with no germocidal spray applied to those seats before you arrived. You”ve pawed racks of DVDs, smart phones, clothes and books that hundreds of others have handled too.  Your shopping lunch reprieve at California Pizzz Kitchen or Appleby’s had you eating food from kitchens teeming with dozens of wait staff, cooks and dish bussers whose hygienic habits may be…..well….not consistent, let’s say.

So, now its on to the holiday food season. And there’s plenty you can do to give your immune health a fighting chance in helping you survive the aftermath of Black Friday and head into December ready to take on those crud-inducing pathogens. One great immune support asset is food. And fresh from the site Truestar Health is a list of nutrients that can help with immune support. I’ve added a little commentary on how you might work them into your  holiday meals.

Vitamin C. Yes, it’s a good immune nutrient, but science shows overloading with C doesn’t fend off colds and flu. So don’t add two dozen orange slices to every glass of punch. But, some citrus or apples added to salads and deserts wouldn’t be a bad bet.

Vitamin E. The Alpha- (or α-) tocopherol form of Vitamin E is the best for human dietary absorption.  Nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are good food sources of E. So load up the Chex Mix with almonds, cashews, and pecans. And don’t be afraid of olive oil or cannola oil when making those Hanukkah matzo balls.

Omega 3s.  This is the essential fatty acid found in fatty fishes, flax and nuts. Break out that smoked salmon.  Albacore tuna with a little Christmas ginger glaze would also do the job.

And, if you consume alcohol over the holidays (naaahhh, never) red wine might be the better bet. A lof of research shows that alcohol intake hampers immune response. Red wine, however, has been shown to not suppress immune response, at least in mouse studies. It doesn’t necessarily help, but a Univ. of Florida study showed red wine did not suppress production of white blood cells in mice, compared to the same amount of alcohol consumed as ethanol.

Filed under Bacteria, Bacterial Environments, Balanced Immune Health, Boosting, Immune Balance, Immune System, Nutrition, Seasonal, Vitamin C, immune