I was recently at FNCE, a conference of classically-trained dietitians (yes I was likely the only PA in a crowd of thousands!) where I was asked to highlight what we do at Precision Metabolic on a podcast (we will send that link out later). I got to know and roomed with many dietitians and was pleased (and surprised) to see that my fellow nutritionists also commonly superdose some immune-boosting vitamins when either traveling or in close quarters or during the Fall/Winter season where viruses love to thrive.
You would have thought that those of us that operate in the wellness spheres are doing it all perfectly and all 100% via a food-as-medicine route. Well, guess what, most of us are not. We still travel to where we are in close quarters to others (like the Denver airport tram WOW!), we don’t necessarily always consistently reach our nutrient goals every single day, we might be around immunocompromised people, or be at higher risk ourselves, and we just might not want to deal with having a little cold regardless. I mean who wants to miss a few days of work or life!?
See our latest Instagram post and the below list about the best foods and behaviors to concentrate on to prime for cold and flu season. But if you need a short burst of help, get some support with supplements.
Foods That Are Immune Boosting:
– Tangerines (dose your Vitamin C regularly all day)
– A little lemon juice in water goes a long way
– Berries
– Leafy Greens
– Fatty fish like salmon
Supplements Worth Traveling With:
– Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, mushrooms extracts (specific species), NAC (these are handy individual purse-sized packets – you will need to create an account to see and order this item!)
– Electrolytes too!
Immune Protecting Behaviors:
– Washing hands! Let’s not forget this one.
– Good sleep
– Low alcohol
– Low sugar
– Hydrate!
– Seasonal Vaccines
– Masking– if that resonates with you
I’ve got a little cheat sheet for you that lists the helpful foods! Stick it on your fridge to remind you and your family to reach for those foods (or meal plan with them) during the Winter Season. Happy Fall!