Carrots

Ever wonder why Bugs Bunny almost never gets sick? It’s probably because of all the carrots he’s eating. This vegetable has tons of beta carotene—a strong phytonutrient that increases the production of infection-fighting cells in our immune systems. It is best to eat carrots fresh and raw. Instead of snacking on a candy bar, try to eat some baby carrots instead.

Oysters

Aside from providing benefits for your libido, oysters are also an excellent source of zinc. This element is crucial for cells to function and it is one of the best in terms of boosting our immune systems. Just always remember that as with all things, too much zinc will also have some negative side effects on your body. Try to limit yourself to one serving of oysters every now and again.

Garlic

The thiosulfinates, aioene, and allicin found in garlic are powerful compounds that facilitate in the body’s battle against infections. Be wary of consuming too much garlic as you definitely don’t want to end up smell like garlic bread. Adding some fresh ones to your pasta sauce should suffice.

Yogurt

It is a fact that our bodies also need certain types of bacteria to function effectively. An example of which would be lactobacillus acidophilus—a substance present in yogurt. This bacteria helps the body digest food by producing lactic acids. Eat low-fat yogurts that have live bacterial cultures to ensure that you’re taking in as much nutrients as possible. GP

Since you’re only going to be a vegetarian one day every week, the first thing to do is to pick the day. You’ll need to select a day where you aren’t that busy as this process will require some extra time for you to prepare your vegetarian dishes. Here are some ideas on what to eat for each meal. Remember that it is essential to plan your meals ahead.

For breakfast:

•    Scrambled eggs, an English muffin with cheese, and fruit salad for dessert
•    Low-sugar, high-protein cereal with dried fruits
•    Hot oatmeal

For lunch:

•    A hearty salad with loads of veggies and some fruits (kiwis, strawberries, etc.), sunflower seeds, and some cheese

•    Lentil soups with a side of rice crackers

For dinner:

•    Black bean chili and buttered French bread

•    Stir-fried mixed veggies with some sesame ginger sauce (note: it’s much better to have a variety of vegetables as it makes the meal tastier and healthier. Try kale, fiddleheads, baby corn, mushrooms, hot peppers, etc.)
Snacks throughout the day:

•    Cottage cheese accompanied by a fruit (i.e. peaches or strawberries)
•    Peanuts (in moderation, of course)
•    Hard-boiled eggs
•    Dried fruits (peaches, apricots, mangoes, prunes)

There are lots of other non-meat meals that will be able to provide your body with sufficient nutrients. Lots of websites provide full vegetarian menus that are not only healthy, but easy to prepare as well. Go ahead, start the green revolution in your life. GP

Eat well
Although burgers or doughnuts are excellent for our taste buds, they actually do little to help our immune system. What you need are fresh veggies and fruits as they are the best natural sources for vitamins our bodies need to improve the immune system.  Eat foods that are rich in vitamins A, B, B-6, C, E, zinc, and folic acid.

Take in lots of water

Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Not only does water having cleansing powers, but it is also essential in transporting nutrients inside our bodies. Moreover, it also plays a vital role in respiration—the body’s main way of generating energy.

Drink tea

Aside from water, you may also want to drink some tea. Studies show that the alkylamines found in tea can act as a vaccine against certain infections. This compound has properties that make the immune system more alert and ready to respond to an infection.

Vitamin C

Among all the other vitamins, Vitamin C is probably the most relevant for our immune systems. Vitamin C should not only be taken only when you’re sick as it is equally, or even more effective when used as a preventive supplement.

Stay active: exercise

Although it is necessary to exercise, overdoing it can actually damage our immune system. A daily walk or a few miles of jogging in a week should suffice.

Be stress-free and well-rested

At a certain point the body gets used to too much stress. Because of this it is not able to respond to infections effectively. This is why it is important to be well-rested and get enough sleep to be able to avoid a weakened immune system. GP

• Incessant snacking. In order to help them get through one whole day of work, a lot of people turn to snacks. Too much Cheetos will definitely add fat to your body and its salt content will not do any favors for your hypertension. Eliminating snacks entirely may affect your performance at work so it is better just to manage your snacks. Instead of buying a whole pack settle for single-sized bags and save it such that it’ll last for at least a few hours.

• Eating before sleeping. Eating before going to bed is never a good thing. While you sleep, your body is less capable of burning the carbs you take in and chances are, they’re converted to fat. Instead of eating a full meal, have some lean protein or some veggies before hitting the hay. It is always advisable to eat at least two hours before bedtime.

• Drinking with an empty stomach. Drinking booze is already bad as it is; it’s even worse when you have an empty stomach. Alcohol is loaded with calories and when consumed on an empty stomach, these calories are stored as fat. Moreover, it will also make you feel hungry which will make you want to eat after a drinking session. The quick-fix is to eat something before you drink. If time does not permit it even a glass of milk should suffice. Just makes sure there’s something in your stomach before you start loading up on booze.

I have written this article to provide readers with healthy nutrition tips on how to easily add fruits and veggies to your diets. These are easy, quick, and delicious ways to up your daily intake of plant foods.

Smoothies

Sugar-free and all-natural smoothies are an excellent way to add some fruits into your diet. For breakfast, try blending a bunch of strawberries, some grapes, two bananas, and two kiwis with 250 ml of pure pressed orange or apple juice. This is already a full meal and it will provide your body with loads of nutrients for the day ahead

Fruitful breakfast

This suggestion is excellent for those who have cereals for breakfast. Instead of settling for plain old cereals with milk, add some flavor to your meal by mixing in some fruits. Blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries will taste excellent with almost any cereal while chopped bananas are always a great addition to any breakfast meal.

Veggied snacks

Instead of snacking on a brownie or a chocolate bar, why not opt for fresh vegetables. Aside from having significantly less calories, fresh veggies are just as filling. A chocolate chip muffin will contain around 700 calories (around 1/3 of the prescribed daily caloric intake), while a carrot will have as little as 32 calories.

Double up

Try this simple and handy trick. The next time you put some veggies on your plate for lunch or dinner, try to double the serving. Aside from leaving less room for other foods on your plate such as potatoes or meat, more veggies also means you are stuffing your body with more vitamins and nutrients.  GP