Meal prep & boost your immune system
Meal planning is a great way to ensure you eat a balanced diet and meet your nutritional needs. And, as every frugal cook knows, meal planning can save you time and money.
You can significantly impact your health and budget by eating at home more often. With ready-made meal plans, you know what your meals will look like and what you need to buy. That makes grocery shopping more efficient and reduces unplanned trips to buy one or two items. And with a grocery list, it's easier to resist impulse purchases. Add to that the prep guide, and you're ready to go!
Especially now, supporting your immune system might be top of your mind. Focus on critical nutrients that support your immune system.
Here are five essential nutrients to support your immune system:
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant enhancing immune function. This micronutrient provides enhanced defense against many infectious diseases.
You find Vitamin A in bright orange and yellow foods: sweet potato, mango, carrots, bell peppers, and dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and broccoli.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the most well-known antioxidant that boosts your immune system.
The Immune Support Program provides an average of 500 mg per day of vitamin C from whole food sources like strawberries, cauliflower, red bell peppers, mango, and grapefruit.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E plays a vital role in immune function. It reduces respiratory infections in the elderly. Most typical diets do not provide adequate vitamin E. Deficiency symptoms can be subtle, and you may not know if you are deficient.
Rather than relying on supplements, you can prevent deficiency through the adequate dietary intake of foods like nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and plant-based oils.
Diets high in vitamin E improve cellular immunity, even without supplementation.
Selenium
Selenium is an essential mineral that acts as a powerful antioxidant.
Brazil nuts are incredibly high in selenium but can easily exceed the daily upper limit and cause toxicity if eaten frequently. Sardines are an excellent source of selenium that can be eaten more regularly and provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, which also have beneficial effects on the immune system.
The Immune Support Program incorporates sardines and other foods high in selenium, like eggs, beef, and oats.
Zinc
Like selenium, zinc is an essential mineral critical for immune function.
Even mild to moderate zinc deficiency can impair immune function and increase the risk of respiratory infections.
You find zinc in whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and meat.
