Many people enjoy a plant based diet and there is a lot to be said for the extra vitamins and minerals which a varied vegetarian diet can provide.
Vegetarianism is something that has never really been part of my life. It's not that I don't eat meatless meals – and I enjoy them. However, the pressure of being put on the spot and having to cook interesting and tasty vegetarian food for for my friends I find really stressful. Chelsea Debret explains the benefits of vegetarianism on the immune system and some of the foods to include in your diet to strengthen your immune system and maximise your ability to avoid catching this season's cold and flu viruses.
Even though you may look forward to the skiing, sledding, and skating that comes with cold temperatures and crystalline snowfall, winter also beckons the dreaded flu season. Coughing, sneezing, sniffling, and runny noses are just the beginning of the virulent virus. Yet, this year’s ritual season of sick faces an unexpected challenge as the most recent flu strain seems to be highly resistant to the influenza vaccine. While medical professionals recommend getting the flu shot, it can also be beneficial to bolster your immune system through natural means, primarily via diet.
One of the most influential health benefits of a plant-based diet is one that you can’t readily see, such as weight loss, or test for, such as blood pressure and cholesterol. Plant-based foods can acutally help strengthen your immune system.
Chelsea details her own top 4 immune boosting superfoods. And it probably won't suprise you to learn that one of the top foods she rates as an immune booster is leafy greens. And as we already know, leafy greens are also one of the best brain foods and help to prevent cognitive decline.
The best way to get a full range of the required micro and phyto-nutrients for brain health is to try to eat as many different types of fruit and veg as possible and include a high proportion of leafy greens.
In case you're wondering, the other super immune boosting foods are turmeric, cinammon and citrus fruit. But check out Chelsea's article for the full lowdown.
thumbnail courtesy of onegreenplanet.org