Immunity boost

EAT WELL to FIGHT BACK

A HEALHTY DIET AND LIFESTYLE CAN HELP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FLU

Now is the time to boost your immunity, with fl u cases expected to rise this autumn and winter.

As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, more Australians will catch the fl u, which has been less common due to Covid-19 measures, such as masks and physical distancing.

In 2020 and 2021, fl u-like illness was a third of 2019 levels.

But the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) says fl u viruses will re-emerge and circulate as international borders open.

A strong immune system helps to ward off and fi ght the fl u and other illnesses. You can prepare yours with immunisation and living well through exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet.

Laying the groundwork for good health

A healthy lifestyle and good ventilation are a great start when it comes to minimising your chances of a bad case of fl u, Victorian-based GP Dr Joe Garra says.

Due to Covid-19 measures, Dr Garra only saw one case of fl u in 2021. He says pandemic protocols could mitigate its impact moving forward.

Part of this is the realisation we should stay home when sick rather than soldier on, and the importance of masks and ventilation. “Breathing each other’s stale air is not good,” he says.

Dr Garra is unsure how the coming fl u season will pan out, but is hopeful hygiene lessons learned might help. To minimise its impact, Dr Garra recommends: ✔ Eat well ✔ Get plenty of sleep ✔ Be vaccinated for fl u and

Covid-19

✔ Wash your hands regularly ✔ Try not to touch your face

as much

✔ Don’t smoke ✔ Keep buildings and homes

well ventilated

✔ Socialise and eat outside

where possible

✔ Stay home from work if

you do feel sick

✔ Cough into your elbow

Eat your way to immunity

As well as good hygiene while preparing food, dietitian Karen Inge says a balanced diet high in antioxidants can minimise the fl u’s impact.

The key is colour and lots of it, and eating what’s in season as nature intended.

“It’s all about colouring your plate and eating plenty of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables and herbs,” Karen says. “They’re like spark plugs for your body.”

Zinc is important in building and maintaining immunity. Good sources include red meat, seafood, pumpkin seeds, some dairy foods, legumes, such as chickpeas, and lentils.

Karen says green smoothies are a great way to pack in nutrients using fruits and vegetables. She says we can also boost our fl u-fi ghting capacity with: ✔ Kiwifruit, which is rich in

potassium and folate.

✔ Fruits and vegetables

rich in vitamin C, such as citrus, strawberries and red capsicum.

✔ Foods rich in vitamin D, such

as oily fi sh, full-fat dairy foods and mushrooms.

Enhance the vitamin D in mushrooms by leaving them in the sun before using.

✔ Probiotics in yoghurt and

cultured foods, such as sauerkraut, sourdough and kombucha.

✔ Garlic, which is an immunity

“superfood”, that research has shown to reduce the severity and duration of cold and fl u symptoms.

Karen says chopped raw garlic is the best way to retain its nutrients as heating can deactivate the immune-boosting compounds. But you can cook it if you crush it and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Chopped raw garlic is the best way to retain its nutrients as heating can deactivate the immuneboosting compounds.

— Karen Inge

The benefi ts of herbs and spices

Herbs such as parsley, chives, marjoram, coriander and oregano are packed with immune-friendly vitamins and antioxidants.

Black and green teas contain antioxidants and catechins, which help immunity, and turmeric and ginger can help with infl ammation.

Karen says you shouldn’t need supplements unless you are defi cient in a particular nutrient, although vegans and vegetarians must replace nutrients found in meat and/or dairy foods.

Fresh is always best for nutritional value, especially with herbs. “Even by adding a handful of marjoram to a salad, you can increase the antioxidant capacity … by 200 per cent,” Karen says.

Flu and Covid vaccines

Flu vaccines are an important weapon in the anti-fl u arsenal.

ATAGI says fl u shots can be administered on the same day as Covid-19 vaccines. This could include a fl u injection with a third Covid-19 dose.

If a person had a 2021 infl uenza vaccine in late 2021 or early 2022, ATAGI recommends receiving a 2022 formulation when it becomes available.

It recommends a fl u vaccination for all Australians aged over six months.

IMMUNITY- BOOSTING GREEN SMOOTHIE

SERVES 1

This all-green drink contains an array of phytochemicals to help support your immune system.

• small handful of baby spinach leaves • small handful of baby kale leaves • 1 small broccoli floret • 1 deseeded green pear • 1 deseeded green apple • 1 peeled green kiwifruit • a few leaves of mint and/or parsley • 1-2 thin slices of ginger • ¼ cup of water Blend and add more water if it is a bit thick.

Source: Karen Inge

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First person “I had the flu in 2021.”

Yvonne Simpson, 53, a mother of three adult sons who works in the health industry, was one of the unlucky few who had the fl u in 2021, despite having a healthy lifestyle and eating well.

Yvonne caught it in May, two weeks before her fl u shot was due.

“I honestly thought I had Covid. I have no idea how I caught it — I was doing 80 per cent of my work from home.

“I didn’t get out of bed from Monday through to the Friday. I had fever, aching, headache and exhaustion. I was not right for probably 10 days.

“I couldn’t eat, so just kept up the fl uids (mostly water and tea) and took paracetamol. I knew when the paracetamol was wearing off because the fever started to peak again.

“I still got my fl u shot — everyone should have the fl u shot. If there’s a vaccine that you can take to prevent you from getting so sick, then why wouldn’t you do it?”