Image displaying a bunch of winter foods

Winter Foods – Our Naturopath Magda explains which foods to eat

We’re heading into winter and if you are prone to colds and flus now is the time to get our immune system primed for the months ahead! Our resident Naturopath at Holistic Bodyworks, Magda gives us some great tips on winter foods.

As you may have heard many times before, “prevention is better than cure”- this blog explains what steps we can take ourselves to minimise the risk of catching that cold or flu or at least reduce the severity of these illnesses.

 

Firstly, food is your ultimate weapon!

 

Eating an abundance of fruit and vegetables can prep your body well for the winter months.

The fruit and vegetables that are seasonally available at the moment are very high in vitamin C like:
  • kiwi fruits
  • mandarins
  • other citrus fruits – lemons, limes

A perfect way nature is providing us with the foods we need to nourish our immune systems.

 

Secondly, consider eating for your gut health

 

Having a healthy gut and a good healthy microbiome is essential to a strong immune system as 70% of our immune system resides in the gut.

Consider eating fermented foods that contain contain good bacteria like:
  • sauerkraut
  • kim chi
  • kombucha
  • kefir drinks

Additionally, we need food that are known as pre-biotics, meaning they provide the food source for the good bacteria in our gut.

Prebiotic foods include:
  • garlic
  • onion
  • leeks
  • oats
  • apples
  • flaxseeds (ground)
  • legumes such as beans and lentils

A great way to make sure your eating habits are prime for winter, make sure you are eating at least 1 thing from each group per day.

 

Meaning:

  • 1 high vitamin C fruit per day (raw – cooking destroys the vitamin C content of foods when cooked)
  • 1 serving of something fermented (e.g. 1 tablespoon of saurekraut or kimchi with a meal or 1 kombucha or kefir drink)
  • 1 serving of a prebiotic rich food (e.g, oatmeal in the morning or lentil salad or lentil and bean soup)

 

To bring it all together you could plan your day as something similar to the following:

 

Breakfast- Oatmeal or overnight oats with ground flaxseed and fresh kiwi fruit

Lunch- Brown rice bowl with an array of vegetables, a protein source and 1 tablespoon of kimchi

Dinner- Lentil, bean and leek soup (*if you feel like you may be coming down with something, top your soup with some freshly minced garlic- known for its natural anti-biotic qualities).

 

It can be that easy! It doesn’t need to be a difficult task nor an expensive one. Making small, simple steps can make a big difference to your health.

 

Need help with meal planning? Magda our naturopath can assist you with that. Find her at the clinic on Thursdays or book online.
Call (03) 9570 3388