Winter is Coming
This post is an in-depth followup to my article on YorkRegion.com
All of us in Ontario are bracing for the inevitability of shorter days, longer nights and freezing weather. With winter comes increased flu, cold and Covid concerns. As such, we need to build strong and resilient immune systems. We can achieve that by limiting processed foods and sugars and eating a well-balanced diet that includes a rainbow of veggies and fruits, whole grains (brown rice, quinoa) and lean meats, to ensure a multitude of immune-boosting nutrients.
In addition, there are other simple steps that make a big difference to strengthen your immune system.
Here are a few:
Drink water – ensuring you are drinking enough water every day is an important part of the health of your body, including supporting your immune system. Not only does water help to keep your body temperature controlled, flushes out toxins from your body through your kidneys, helps your bowels eliminate effectively, lubricates and cushions joints and reduces brain ‘fog’, but water also helps your circulatory system work efficiently, including ‘lymph’, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells that are key to strong immune health, to move through your body.
Tips to get into the habit of including more water during your day – right out of bed, start your morning with a glass of room temperature or warm water (add lemon and a pinch of cayenne to kickstart your digestion for the day), carry a refillable water bottle with you when you are out and about, make an herbal tea and sip on a ½ tea ½ water mixture during the day, add a slice of lemon, lime or ginger to your water to flavour it subtly, set a reminder on your phone calendar every couple of hours to drink a glass of water and if you have a glass of alcohol, have a glass of water afterwards.
Exercise - physical activity is wonderful for building strong muscles to keep us upright and strong and is instrumental in helping us de-stress. Exercise also supports a healthy immune system. Exercise, together with being hydrated (see above!), improves immune function by boosting circulation, allowing the immune and other infection-fighting cells to move more effectively through the body.
30 minutes a day of moderate exercise can help with heart health, weight loss, provide an energy and mood boost, improves memory, releases endorphins to reduce stress and can increase productivity and creativity! Break the 30 minutes up into smaller segments if that fits your schedule best. So, do something fun that moves your body: put on a song that gets you dancing, pick one of the many free online workouts or put on your walking shoes and go for a brisk walk around your neighbourhood or in nature if you are lucky and have a path or trail close by - have you heard of “Forest Bathing”?
Reduce stress – I know, easier said than done, especially in these Covid-19 times. But stress can impact your immune system so we all must try our best to manage it. During times of stress, whether it comes on quickly or is more long-lasting and chronic, your body reacts with a stress response that suppresses your immune system and which in turn increasing your chance of illness. What is stressful for one person is different for another, so is what works to reduce stress. We may not always know what our stress triggers are but we all recognize how we feel when stress hits. Depending on the situation we are in, you might find some relief in taking a few slow deep breaths, prayer, meditation, exercise, taking a warm bath, engaging in a hobby or talking to someone you trust about how you are feeling - you must explore and experiment with what activities help you reduce or remove the fight-or-flight response that is triggered by stress.
Get enough sleep - there are a number of important activities your body is doing when you are asleep including strengthening the immune cells and proteins of your immune system. Here is an interesting article about the many benefits of getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep is oftentimes elusive and stressful when you lie awake – it happens to us all for no reason at all or when our mind is whirling with a thousand thoughts. I find the 4-7-8 breathing method works for me.
Of course, for a stronger immune system and for so many other health reasons, stop smoking, drink alcohol in moderation and reduce your consumption of processed foods and refined sugars.
On to the many beneficial immune-strengthening ingredients in my Immune Power-Up Soup recipe. I realize that not everyone is a fan of curry or turmeric so the alternates with Mediterranean healing herbs are listed beside the original ingredients below.
Let’s go through each key immune supporting ingredient:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: a good source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which helps boost the immune system.
Garlic: when cut or crushed, the compounds in garlic boost immune support of the specific white blood cells in the body that combat viruses.
Ginger: a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant with anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.
Onion: contains VitC, zinc, selenium and quercetin – a flavonoid and anti-oxidant with anti-viral properties. VitC is a powerful antioxidant that fights viruses and prevents infections by helping the body form beneficial antibodies and protects your cells from free radicals.
Turmeric: antiseptic, anti-bacterial, contains curcumin which is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Curry: anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal
Basil: an herb in the mint family, with a myriad of health benefits including being an anti-inflammatory and an anti-oxidant.
Oregano: another herb in the mint family, an antifungal, a natural antibiotic, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Sage: an anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory herb and anecdotally believed to have memory-boosting properties.
Parsley: an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, rich in vitamins and minerals, including calcium.
Red Peppers: an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, rich in VitC.
Sweet Potatoes: the orange-fleshed sweet potato is a rich natural source of beta-carotene, a plant-based compound that is converted to VitA in your body, a critical vitamin for immune health and eye health.
Carrot: an anti-oxidant rich in both VitA and VitC.
Zucchini: rich in the stress-reducing minerals potassium and magnesium and numerous vitamins, including VitC.
This soup recipe is Vegetarian, Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free and I have included 2 options for flavour palettes: Curry or Mediterranean healing herbs.
My easy and bold Immune Power-Up Soup recipe
Prep time: 10 mins, Cook time: 40 mins, Total time: 55 mins, Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic - sliced
1 tablespoon ginger - grated
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric powder (Optional: if using the alternate herbs)
2 teaspoons curry powder (Alternately: 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried sage)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium carrot – chopped
1 medium zucchini - chopped
1 bay leaf
7 cups vegetable broth
Salt and black pepper
Instructions
In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and add the garlic, ginger, onion, turmeric, curry powder (or the alternative Mediterranean herbs) and parsley. Mix together well and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to soften the garlic and onions.
Add the peppers, sweet potatoes, carrot, zucchini and the bay leaf and then pour in the vegetable broth. The broth should cover the veggies. Stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and turn the heat to low.
Simmer for 30 minutes until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove the bay leaf and with a hand-held immersion blender, or in a blender working in batches, puree the soup until smooth.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Ladle into pretty bowls and garnish with sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds.
Enjoy!