N U T R I T I O N H AC K S T O K E E P YOU R FA M I LY ’ S I M M U N E S YS T E M T H R I V I NG
What your family eats is the cornerstone of keeping sick days at bay.
WORDS BY RACHAEL DUPREE
T
hese days, health is at the front of everyone’s minds, whether we’re donning masks or washing our hands for the hundredth time of the day. However, supporting our immune systems is key and one important way to do that is to take inventory of what we eat. Good nutrition is key to helping our bodies fight infection, says registered dietician and health educator Jessica McAllister of Dietician Approved Nutrition (www.jmcallisterrd.com). That includes COVID-19 and any number of other ailments we’ll face throughout our lifetime. Nutrients like zinc in chicken and fish, probiotics in yogurt, and vitamin E in nuts, greens and whole grains offer great immune system boosts, not to mention vitamin C found in some of our favorite fruits. Plus, eating a diet with plenty of fiber (fruits and vegetables), magnesium (greens, beans and nuts), and vitamin D (fatty fish) can help regulate our moods and better manage day-to-day stressors.
Fortunately, eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult. Even if you find yourself relying on fast-food too often, it’s possible to get you and your family back on track to eating more nutritious meals.
Bulk Up on Produce If your family has fallen into unhealthy eating habits, it can be helpful to examine why, McCallister recommends. “Your body has cravings for many reasons,” she says. Making sure your family is eating three meals per day with a colorful array of fruits and vegetables will help curb cravings for sugary, salty or high-fat foods. Even if you still find yourself with an occasional sweet tooth, substituting something a little more nutritious, like a piece of fruit or even a bit of dark chocolate, can help.
Get Your Chef On! Save your family a trip through the drive-through and better control what goes in their bodies by planning ahead for meals. Cut and clean vegetables as soon as you get them home so they can easily be added to recipes. Prepare a large batch of grains that can be served with meals throughout the week. If a recipe can easily be doubled, freeze part of the meal so you can grab it on a night when time is tight. Aim for each meal to have a protein (meat, beans or tofu), a vegetable, a fruit, and a whole grain or starch to up the nutrition factor and keep everyone satiated.
F o r g e t H e a lt h T r e n d s In case you needed to hear this: You don’t have to go on a fad diet to be healthy. You don’t even have to like kale! Many of us make healthy eating too difficult, which means giving up before we start. Instead of aiming for the “perfect diet,” McAllister recommends starting where
28
INDYSCHILD.COM I March 2021
