GOOD
Food
Pantry Staples for Immune Wellness
Inflammation and Immunity
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nflammation is your body’s response to a threat, like an injury or an infection—a signal to your immune system to heal, repair, and defend itself against invasion. Without this physiological response, we wouldn’t heal.
Many of us rush to boost our immune system during flu season or when we feel a bit of a scratchy throat. But building your best immune system is a way of life—consistently taking care of your health and wellness by building great habits like quality sleep, hydration, stress management, exercise, and hand-washing, and stocking your pantry with a variety of delicious, immune-boosting foods. First, let’s talk about inflammation and immunity.
Inflammation is effective as a quick, short-term response, but causes problems if it becomes sustained and chronic; it is linked to many illnesses like cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, heart disease, and stroke. New research is now looking to see if elevated inflammation contributes to an increased risk of depression, and how it impacts brain health.
The Gut Connection The microbiome—a community of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in our digestive tract—breaks down food and is the warning system to trigger our immune system. It works at its best when it is balanced and fed properly on nutritious, anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3s, fresh fruit and veggies, and healthy fats—and less red and processed meats, dairy, sugars, refined carbs, and trans-fat foods. Your best immune defence is a body that functions at its best, fed with a diet rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 8
