Food for Feeling Good

There’s no diet that’s perfect for everyone. But incorporating immune-boosting foods — and limiting immune-weakening foods — will help you stay healthy.

Immune-Boosting Foods

• Vegetables: kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, artichokes

• Fruit: cherries, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, goji berries, avocados

• Nuts: almonds, walnuts

• Spices: turmeric, ginger, rosemary

• Dark chocolate: (Yes, we said chocolate!) Make sure to choose something with 70% or more cocoa content, and stick to one to two squares per day.

• Fatty fish: wild-caught salmon, tuna, and sardines

Immune-Weakening Foods

• Added sugar: Watch for ingredients like syrup, corn sweetener, agave, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, and honey on food labels.

• Fried foods

• Soda

• Processed foods: chips, bread, cereal

• Refined carbohydrates: white bread, sugary baked goods

• Processed meats

• Alcohol

Before You Go, Remember:

• A balanced and varied diet helps you stay healthy.

• In addition to a balanced diet, getting plenty of water and quality sleep, managing stress, and daily exercise are important parts of staying healthy.

• Try making small changes to your diet by either incorporating an immune-boosting food or eliminating an immune-weakening food from your meal plan this week.