Healthy ood

Healthy Food for a Strong Immune System

By Olga UzUnOva A s cases of Coronavirus multiply, it’s important to remember that one of the best forms of protection is prevention. Enhance your immune system with wholesome food to stay healthy, feel good, and full of energy. We spoke with Stephanie Schwartz, a nutritionist from the New York Presbyterian-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, who gave us some useful tips on superfoods and immune boosters for the whole family. “Eat the rainbow,” says Ms. Schwartz. It’s essential to have diversity in our meals, and there is no better season than this spring for fresh fruits and veggies. She says the colorful plants are rich in different vitamins that enhance our immune system and entertain the little ones as well. “You can give them green veggies one day, orange carrots on the next, and keep on mixing them in a rainbow.” Diversity is key to a healthy balanced diet with wholesome, nutritious food.

Fish is rich in Omega-3, while meat is full of iron and B-complex vitamins. Milk and dairy products are also packed with vitamin B, so make sure your child gets enough of these. Ms. Schwartz advises good hydration too. Children should drink a sufficient amount of water and milk as they are the best nutritious drinks with no added sugar. Ms. Schwartz thinks all-natural ingredients are enough for a healthy diet, so there is no need for supplements, especially for the children. However, she advises parents to consult with their pediatrician if your child needs more vitamin D. This vitamin is hard to absorb from food, and some children might need a larger dose.

Last but not least, family eating should be a pleasure and not a quick stop at a fast food restaurant. Try to find time to prepare yummy homemade meals or spend some quality time with the family at a nice restaurant.” Eating should be a pleasurable experience for the whole family and children

24 NewYorkFamily.com | April 2020 should enjoy it,” Ms. Schwartz says. “Involve them in preparing meals and show them how much fun it can be.”

Please note that any change or new food in your children’s diet should be discussed with your pediatrician. This list of fruits and vegetables is not exhaustive for full healthy eating. Please consult a doctor or a nutritionist.

Broccoli Broccoli is bursting with nutrients and contains choline which is beneficial for your gut. Broccoli is supercharged with vitamins A, C, and E and minerals, as well as many antioxidants and fiber. It is one of the healthiest vegetables for your table.

Spinach Do you remember Popeye the Sailor and how the spinach made him strong? This plant really gives you superpowers! Spinach is rich in vitamins, numerous antioxidants, and beta carotene, which enhances the infection-fighting ability of our bodies. Similar to broccoli, spinach is healthiest when cooked as little as possible or even eaten raw in a salad to retain its nutrients. Some nutritionists say light boiling enhances its vitamin A and allows other nutrients to be released from oxalic acid.

Kale This common winter vegetable is a regular ingredient in superfood dishes. The antioxidants strengthen your immune system and protect your body from diseases. You can add raw kale to your salad, prepare a healthy snack of kale leaf chips, mix it together with

almost any other green veggie, and make a healthy-tasting smoothie.

Bell Peppers Brightly colored bell peppers hold lots of vitamin A, which enhances your body’s mucosal barriers (easily damaged by

infection). They’re also a rich source of beta carotene which supports your

immune system. Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy.

Blueberries

These little fruits are loaded with vitamin C and potassium as well as other vital vitamins. They are easily mixed in

smoothies, baked oatmeal, or can be eaten as a snack. These purplish berries are anti-inflammatory vitamin bombs that

charge you with energy and strength.

Oranges You need to make sure that your body has plenty of vitamin C to help your body fight off infections. Your body can’t store vitamin C, so you need to try and include foods that are rich in vitamin C as often as possible. If you’re not a fan of oranges, then you could try eating more tomatoes, peas, and peppers, or drink lemon juice.

Papaya Papaya is another fruit rich in vitamin C. Scientists say you can find 200% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C in one papaya. Papayas also contain a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory properties. Papayas provide your body with B vitamins and folate, all of which are beneficial for your overall health.

Kiwi Like papayas, kiwis are naturally full of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts white blood cells to fight infection, while its other nutrients keep the rest of your body functioning properly.

The Buy-Nothing Guide to Being More eco-Friendly

“Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle” doesn’t mention BUYING MORE STUFF

By Hester ABA I f one of your resolutions this year was to be more eco-friendly, you might have started off by buying a reusable water bottle, picking up some stainless steel straws or investing in your own coffee cup for your daily latte. If you’re truly trying to go green though, it’s worth bearing in mind that the classic adage to “Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle” doesn’t mention BUYING MORE STUFF anywhere. As natural-born consumers, our instinct is to solve all our problems by consuming more, but when we’re trying to reduce our impact on the planet, we need to do the opposite! Here are some ideas for how to go green in NYC without spending a single cent.

Clothing swaps The fashion industry is a huge source of pollution (ranked as the 5th most polluting industry worldwide) and lots of our fast fashion, impulsebuy items end up in landfills. What’s the solution so we can still scratch our itch for new-to-us items and clear out our closets at the same time? Clothing swaps! Grow NYC organize regular swaps across New York City, and they are free to attend. Just bring clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, housewares, games, books and toys, and take home new-to-you items. Check out Grow NYC’s website (www.grownyc.org) for dates and locations of upcoming swaps. You can also take a look at Meetup.com which is home to a huge and varied selection of clothing swap meetup groups.

Optimize your utilities If you’re lucky enough to have central heat, try turning the temperature down by one or two degrees, and encouraging your kids to grab a sweater or wear socks indoors instead of hitting up the thermostat. You can also turn the heat off once everyone is in bed and

Trash Facts

• The average American generates 4.5 lbs of waste every day • New York only recycles about a fifth of its garbage (18% from homes and 25% from businesses) lagging behind cities like San Francisco and Seattle • About a third of residential waste is made up of food scraps and yard rubbish, which can be composted but which when it ends up in landfill can generate harmful methane gas • Most public housing in New York City does not have easy access to recycling services. New York’s nearly 400,000 public housing residents recycle less than 2% of their household waste (source: The New York Times Jan, 2020)

on again at breakfast time. If you’re in an apartment building where the communal areas are sweltering, call your super and gently encourage them to adjust the heat. These measures will also help to save you dollars and cents off your electricity bills.

Check Craigslist’s free page Craiglist’s “free” page is filled with all kinds of weird and wonderful items people are giving away. If you have your own transport for picking up large furniture items and if you’re happy to get your hands dirty to “upcycle” pieces, you can furnish an entire apartment just with freebies! And on the other side of things, if you have items you need to get rid of, consider posting them here or on your local parenting Facebook page before you put them out on the sidewalk.

Cut down your food waste New York sends an astounding four million tons of waste to landfill every year, and almost a third of that is food waste. Although most of this is generated by grocery stores, manufacturers and the restaurant industry, individual households can still do their bit to help. Meal-planning and keeping supplies of easy-to-cook staples like rice, beans and pasta in your pantry can help you to avoid ordering take-out or doing a hungry bodega dash. If you find yourself regularly throwing away uneaten fresh produce, consider switching to frozen vegetables especially when it comes to broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, peas and green beans which are just as good frozen as fresh.

Eat less meat Whether it’s trying out “meatless mondays” or transitioning your kids’ sandwich fillings from deli meats to cheese or PB&J, you don’t need to go full veggie or vegan to have a big environmental impact with your diet. We love following plant-based instagram accounts from New Yorkers like @veggiekins and @bonberi for inspiration for our meat-free meals!

Don’t let a nice gesture turn into trash While we’re big fans of New Yorkers’ habit of leaving books and other small belongings out on the sidewalk for passersby to pick up, please check the weather forecast before you do this! We see so many sodden books and pieces of clothing which then just end up in the trash. If you have kids’ books in good condition to give away, consider asking your local school’s Parent Coordinator if they take library donations.

Bring your own bag Keeping a tote bag in your handbag or laptop case will save you picking up the plastic. And we all have tote bags we can press into service as in New York they’re given away with so many purchases. Pop one in each of your bags (we like to zip them into our inside pockets) so you won’t forget.

Mason jars for your takeout coffee habit Like a good hack? Wrap rubber bands around a mason jar and voila! You have the perfect reusable coffee cup which won’t burn your hands when you fill it with hot coffee.

Creative composting

Want to try composting in New York City but your apartment building doesn’t offer it? Don’t be discouraged! Grow NYC has more than 70 food scrap drop-off locations around the city where you can bring fruit and vegetable scraps, non-greasy food scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, cut or dried flowers and much, much more. Just avoid meat, fish or daily products and check out the full list of do’s and don’t’s as well as their list of drop-off locations on the Grow NYC website. You don’t need a dedicated composting receptacle either - you can compost in a paper bag lined with newspaper, and keep your compost in the refrigerator or your freezer to avoid bad smells.

Volunteer to garden New York has tons of opportunities to get your hands dirty, even if you don’t have a garden of your own. Check whether your local public school has a gardening program, or get involved with the Governor’s Island Teaching Garden during the open season (May 1st to October 31st 2020) where your kids can take part in gardening workshops, take tours and learn about nutrition. You can also visit NYC Service’s website to search for volunteering opportunities at your local park or playground.

Consolidate your Amazon deliveries We’re all hooked on Amazon, but getting single items delivered separately uses unnecessary resources when it comes to both packaging and delivery vehicles. Use the “Shopping List” feature or fill your cart and only checkout once a week to make your Amazon habit more eco-friendly. You can also choose to select an “Amazon delivery day” so that all your packages arrive on the same day of the week.