Immune Boosting Tips

Hay fever abounds as the seasons arm-wrestle for dominance - fluctuating temperatures, as we move into autumn, pose a challenge to our immune systems. To support you through this last leg of the allergy season, I would like
to introduce some immune boosting tips.

A general reduction in refined, processed and colour treated foods. Eat whole foods as much as possible, which on colder days can easily be done in the form of vegetable soups and stews. For those cooking for children, fussy
eaters are often more likely to eat smooth soups (e.g. butternut or blended vegetable soup with whole grain bread for dipping) than lumpy stew. Tahini or humus can be sneaked into these dishes to increase healthy amino acid
consumption.

It is a good time to eat vitamin C enriched fruit; oranges as well as guavas are in season and are great antiviral foods, due to their high vitamin C content. Viruses like to enter the cell via it’s membrane to create havoc within - so
keep those cell walls strong by avoiding negative fats ( margarine, bacon bits, lard, cream, cream cheese and cooking oils), and increasing good fat intake (nuts and nut butter, olives and olive oil, flax oil, coconut oil, avocado, tahini, lecithin spread, seeds, and peanut butter – in moderation).

Eat lots of this Immune boosting soup

1 Onion, peeled and chopped
1 Clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tblsp. cold-pressed olive oil
1 Slice of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Stick of celery, chopped
1 Potato, peeled and cubed
A handful of barley
600-850ml Vegetable stock
A head of broccoli, broken into florets
A handful of chopped parsley
1 Heaped tblsp. hummus (optional - adds creaminess, iron, calcium and protein).

What to do:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until transparent.
2. Add all the other ingredients except the broccoli, parsley and hummus.
3. Stir well. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Add the broccoli and cook for a further 5 -10 minutes.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle over the parsley and stir in the hummus.

My own favourite immune boosting whopper!

2 oranges
1 lemon
3 cm fresh ginger root
1 clove of fresh garlic

What to do:

1. Squeeze oranges and lemon and pour into a blender.
2. Add ginger and garlic. Blend well.

Bottoms up!

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