Food is Medicine - Boost Your Immune System Naturally This Cold/Flu Season

Food is Medicine - Boost Your Immune System Naturally This Cold/Flu Season - Featuring Manuka Honey Garlic Shrimp Recipe by Kelly Springer, RD, MS, CDN

Kelly Springer, RD, MS, CDN is a registered dietitian with a focus on whole-body wellness. She is the founder of Kelly’s Choice - the largest woman-owned nutritional consulting company in the world, which includes a team of more than 50 dietitians. Kelly is an expert in the field and has shared her wisdom as a keynote speaker and panelist at many conferences worldwide, and has even appeared on Good Morning America. Through her nutritional consulting company, Kelly and her team of dietitians guide clients to make well-informed healthy choices on a daily basis, to live a balanced life.

As we head into cold and flu season, it’s more important than ever to make healthy decisions and ensure you’re filling up on nutritious foods. To recap middle school biology class - our bodies depend on energy to make and support immune cells, and this energy comes from what we consume. A balanced diet with a focus on immune system-supporting nutrients is a good idea year-round, but especially in the Fall and Winter when illness spreads more rampantly. Specifically, foods high in protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene and Magnesium and Antioxidants are important to keep our bodies and immune systems going.

So, what does this mean? Incorporate protein-rich meat, poultry, beans, nuts and eggs into your diet. Leafy greens and citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C, and nuts, avocado, seeds and spinach contain a lot of vitamin E. To increase your beta-carotene intake, adding extra carrots, spinach, sweet potato, squash and kale to your diet is a good idea. Green tea is a great source of antioxidants. Kelly’s Choice talks more about the benefits of green tea here on their blog.

In addition to those foods listed above, adding some extra Manuka Honey to your regular diet can be beneficial this cold and flu season. Manuka Honey contains natural properties that support the immune system. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties which can be helpful when your body is fighting off a sore throat and other typical cold and flu symptoms. In fact, Manuka Honey is considered a super-food. You can add a little extra Manuka Honey to your diet by enjoying it by the spoonful or mixing it into your food or drinks.

Not only are Fall and Winter the times of year when illnesses spread the most, but, they’re also the seasons of many holidays, and, of course, parties and gatherings with friends and family. This is even more reason to prioritize your immune system - so you are healthy and can celebrate through the season with your loved ones.

Kelly created a delicious and nutritious recipe that incorporates all the best immune-supporting ingredients. Her Manuka Honey Garlic Shrimp recipe is a great option during cold and flu season because the shrimp provides omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation, while the honey acts as a natural antioxidant with antibacterial properties, effecting soothing sore throats and boosting overall immunity. Kelly likes to serve this shrimp with kale or spinach and a whole grain like quinoa. Read on for the recipe!