Building immunity

In this holiday season, as your schedule starts becoming more packed, nutrition takes a back seat. Even as you successfully manage your crazy life, you don’t feel fine. Could it be because you’re overstressed and undernourished?

Let’s chat about building immunity in the context of the season at present. The wedding and festive season can take a toll on your body without you realising it. To achieve your goals this season, you need to arm yourself with the following food fighters:

Protein

Protein builds your internal soldiers, fights diseases and repairs wear and tear. Do note that when I talk about this vital macronutrient, I’m talking about better-quality protein. Choose lean protein like eggs (egg whites), fish, white meats (like chicken and turkey), dals, and quinoa. Avoid red meat. It will cancel out any associated health benefits of good proteins.

The recommended ‘dosage’ of protein is one gram for every kilo of body weight. In other words, if you’re 68 kilos, you need to have about 68-70 grams of protein a day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a great warrior in the immunity-building fight. Vitamin C is a known ‘free radical scavenger’, and helps you chase out pesky free radicals from your body. Eat more amla and kiwi, which are great sources of Vitamin C.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 impacts both your immunity and aids the speed of your recovery. However, B12 is found only in animal foods, including dairy and eggs. If you are a vegetarian, it’s better to take a doctor-approved B12 supplement to maintain adequate levels.

Zinc

Low levels of zinc deplete the strength of white blood cells, which reduce your immunity. Sources of zinc include poultry, nuts, whole grains, beans, dairy products and certain breakfast cereals. Keep in mind that children are especially vulnerable to low levels of zinc.