Winter fruits and vegetables
Malnutrition has long been recognised as the major cause of immunodeficiency worldwide and there’s no better way to boost your nutrient intake than eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables in season. Fabulous winter fruits and vegetables on offer include kiwi fruit and tangelos for vitamin C, plus spinach, pumpkin and sweet potato for beta carotene. But the real news lies in the vast array of antioxidants just bursting to tell their flu fighting stories. Recent studies published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand have indicated that kiwi fruit may enhance the body’s natural immune response. Kiwi fruit has high levels and a unique balance of carotenoid antioxidants, previously shown to boost natural levels of resistance.Oily fish
It used to be vitamin C spelt immunity, but now vitamin D is the new booster on the block. Vitamin D has effects on white blood cell function and is being investigated for its role in treating autoimmune disease. Getting that little ray of sunshine is particularly important in winter months as vitamin D is produced from the contact of UV sunlight on the skin. You can also increase your dietary sources of vitamin D like margarines, boosted milks, oily fish and liver. Oily fish also supplies a vital dose of omega 3 fatty acids, an important anti-inflammatory nutrient.