nutrition BY JENNA BLUMENFELD
Eat for
immunity
TOP FOODS TO BOLSTER YOUR DEFENSES DURING COLD AND FLU SEASON
W
hen it comes to avoiding bugs, washing your hands is a no-brainer. But what about the foods you eat? Research shows
certain foods enhance immunity; others compromise defenses. Regularly eating these seven foods not only lowers your risk for catching colds and flu; it also contributes to disease prevention and longevity.
Garlic. Tis onion relative offers antioxidant
flavonoids and sulfur-containing compounds like allicin, which combat oxidative stress and inflammation. Eating garlic helps the immune system make more white blood cells and natural killer cells, says Bob Sears, MD, coauthor of the Sears Parenting Library books. Get more: When you chop garlic, the cell walls break, activating beneficial enzymes. Before heating, allow chopped garlic to rest for five minutes. Aim for two cloves daily: Mince and add to salad dressings; purée with garbanzos, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil for hummus. Green tea. Join the majority of the world’s people who sip tea all day, not just at teatime. All teas offer health benefits, but green tea has more polyphenols—antioxidants also found in vegetables, coffee, and red wine. In a newly published survey, Japanese students who drank 1–5 cups daily were considerably less likely to get the flu than those who didn’t drink tea. Get more: Fill a thermos with green tea and sip at your desk; mix with bubbly water and a bit of stevia for “soda.” ➻
february 2012 | deliciousliving 43
CAROLINE ARBER / CORBIS
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