TOP FOODS TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY YEAR-ROUND

''Boost Your Immunity''

Dear Healthy Friend,

I welcome you to another day where I get to share a beautiful topic with you because your overall well-being and healthy living are my top priority. Thus, today’s topic focuses on top foods to keep you healthy year-round, with a key emphasis on foods that boost your immunity.

Healthy food as we know is any food that provides all the nutrients required for you to stay healthy, feel energetic, and boost your immune system thereby protecting you from diseases. Different foods can help keep you healthy all year round, and boost your immunity.

One of the major reasons to eat foods that boost your immune system is because they helps protect healthy cells, support the growth of immune cells, and develop antibodies that protect you from diseases.

I have always been one to take into serious consideration what I eat, this is because growing up, my mum always made lots of delicious meals but one thing I always observed was that they all had great nutritious value. From the balanced vegetable and rice, to stir fries which was a mixture of veggies and fresh tomatoes, to fruit salads. We didn’t just eat as kids because we were hungry, we ate right and this has shaped my mentality when it comes to eating healthy.

Let’s dive into today’s health gist;

1.     Leafy Greens – Generally, I always get excited at the thought of leafy greens. The fact that it can be used to achieve a lot of healthy meals is amazing and when prepared well, the taste is so desirous. Leafy greens are super rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, Vitamin A, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium.

They boost the immune system and help maintain a healthy weight. If you are looking forward to having a healthy diet all year round, then you should incorporate this into your meals. They also help in reducing the risk of heart disease, and cancer and improve digestion.

As a child, I remember my mum’s vegetable sauce which she made for us that helped a lot with indigestion and bowel movement. Sweet and flavorful but still did the work!

Some leafy greens include; Ugu (Fluted pumpkin), Spinach, Water Leaf (Talinum fruiticosum), Lettuce, Cabbage, Kale, Beet Greens, African Egg Plant, Broccoli, Dandelion, and Celery amongst others.

Leafy greens can be used to make a variety of meals, from sauces to main dishes, and can be paired with carrots, tomatoes, and bell peppers. You name it! It can also be used to make soups and stews.

2.     Fruits – Fruits are very important in keeping us healthy and fresh, after eating various meals, we need to add fruits to our diet to balance it up. Fruits have vital nutrients that keep us healthy, promote overall wellness, and boost our immunity.  Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, lime, and tangerine contain very high levels of vitamin C which helps fight off infection.

• Lemon can be used to sweeten your water or cook; they help protect your body from various diseases and boost your immune system

• Apples are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They regulate blood sugar levels and control hunger.

• Watermelon is also rich in vitamin A, iron, vitamin B6, and potassium. It helps in hydration and easy digestion, heart health, and reduces the risk of cancer.

• Blueberry is high in vitamins A, B6, C, and K, and minerals. It helps lower blood pressure, prevents heart disease, and improves memory and general body health.

• Strawberry is rich in iron and Vitamins. It is very healthy as it contains antioxidants that help your immune system and is very low in calories.

• Bananas is rich in vitamin C, Fiber, protein, carbs, and other great nutrients. It provides energy, promotes flexibility, aids digestion, and promotes heart health.

• Pear helps heart health, boosts body immunity, lowers the risk of diabetes, promotes gut health, has anti-cancer properties, lowers blood pressure, high in fiber, energy, sodium, folate, zinc, and vitamins.

3.     Potatoes – Potatoes are underground tubers that grow from a plant called Solanum tuberosum. But that’s boring, let’s talk about how good they are. Potatoes are low in calories and serve as a great source of vitamins and minerals. Irish potatoes go a long way to improve bone health, reduce inflammation, reduce the risk of cancer, and aid digestion, blood pressure control, and metabolism. It can be eaten fried, mashed, boiled, baked, and swallowed (Irish potato flour).

Sweet potatoes are great but you would agree with me that peeling them isn’t easy, they are hard but can soften within minutes when boiled. They come in a variety of colors like; orange, white, and purple and are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

They also help with vision, help with digestion, and are very good for the reduction of high sugar levels. Sweet potatoes can be eaten fried, boiled, sauced, baked, mashed, and swallowed as sweet potato flour for soups.

4.     Oily Fish – Oily fish can be said to be any fish that is packed with omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Omega 3 fatty acids have been known to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Oily fish lowers the risk of arthritis, dementia, skin and mouth cancers, asthma, and breast and prostate cancer.

Some examples of oily fish are; Salmon, mackerel, tuna, eels, trout, and sardines, amongst others.

The fact that omega-3 fatty acids can help remodel the cell membrane according to recent research by scientists, literally translates to mean that consuming oily fish can build, boost, and strengthen your immune system. I must employ you to incorporate oily fish into your diet, it can be fried, grilled, roasted, barbecued, and pan-fried. The flavors especially when cooked with great herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, and parsley make the best meals.

5.     Nuts – You would often wonder why even bakers use nuts to bake cakes or pastries and even bread. This is because, aside from its crunchy filling and satisfying taste, it is very rich in nutrients like vitamins and minerals that help boost and regulate your immune system.

• Almonds and Walnuts contain high levels of vitamins and minerals which help regulate your immune system. Walnuts contain polyunsaturated fats good for brain health.

• Hazelnuts also improve your diet and provide heart health support, reduce inflammation, improve sperm count, and lower cholesterol levels amongst others.

6.     Herbs and Spices – These are substances that are made out of plants; stems, leaves, fruits, bark, roots, seeds, etc. that add flavor to dishes, color food, and produce beautiful aroma. They however contain rich nutrients that can keep you healthy all year round. Some of these spices include; Ginger, garlic, turmeric, nutmeg, saffron, ginseng, cinnamon, rosemary, basil, cumin, curry, and thyme just to mention a few.

• Ginger helps with arthritis, cramps, sore throats, pains, constipation, indigestion, hypertension, dementia etc. It improves blood sugar levels, reduces inflammation, and strengthens the immune system.

• Garlic prevents diseases like cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It also improves health, boosts the immune system, lowers cholesterol, and extends life. It can be used in various meals and some even snack on it.

• Turmeric helps in protection from inflammation, brain health, arthritis relief, increases mood, boosts the immune system, helps in strengthening the body, dispels worms, and improves digestion

• Cinnamon helps in improving overall heart health, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It can be used in various dishes, in cereals like oats, in teas, hot chocolate, and snacks.

Conclusion

I have always thought that you can achieve a healthy lifestyle through your diet. While many think that the economy doesn’t always make it easy to afford healthy meals, I beg to differ on the stand that sometimes the little is what counts.

Instead of spending money on foods that don’t have any nutritional value, fizzy drinks which some people consume much more than they eat at all, and unhealthy cooking spices that have been adulterated just to taste nice, fast foods and processed foods. I implore you to use that money to make a good pot of food that has great nutrients embedded in it that can keep you healthy and strong.

In all, health is wealth, and eating healthy is good business.

Dear healthy friend, it would please me if you start eating right, you can start by trying any of these top foods that I have listed and explained.

Take Away Recipe: Try making boiled potatoes (sprinkle some parsley or any thinly chopped leaf on the potatoes) then pair them with stirred veggies like bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), onions, fresh tomatoes, and a little scotch bonnet pepper. Add some chicken or meat or fish which can be optional, then finish up with spices like curry, thyme, garlic, and ginger.

Who’s Trying?

Don’t forget to like, comment, and share as this newsletter may just save someone and get them in a better healthy state.

Casandra Ayodele
HealthmartwithCassie.