Your immune system plays a key role in overall health and wellness. Unfortunately, your immune health can be compromised by destructive free radicals and oxidative stress from environmental and lifestyle factors. Eating foods rich in immune-boosting nutrients is essential to supporting your overall health. To help keep your immune system strong, include these immune boosting foods in you diet.

Chicken Soup
Chicken soup may do more than just soothe a sore throat and keep you hydrated, it may keep your airways healthy, as well. Researchers at the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup deters movement of inflammatory white cells, which can help prevent colds by blocking the accumulation of cells in the bronchial tubes. The researchers believe the ingredients in chicken soup provide anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce congestion. For added immune-boosting powers, make your own chicken soup with healthy additions like oregano, garlic, cilantro, carrots or onions.

Broccoli
Broccoli is packed with immune-boosting nutrients like vitamins A, vitamin C, and “the master antioxidant” glutathione. Glutathione protects the body from free radicals by fortifying immune health and boosting antioxidant protection. A recent study in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that daily 1000 mg oral supplementation of glutathione was found to increase glutathione levels in the blood and boost immune strength. To maximize the benefits of vitamin C and glutathione, foods are best eaten in the “raw” form. If you’re not a fan of raw broccoli, try making a fresh broccoli salad with shredded cheese and other veggies tossed in a vinaigrette dressing, or go for a Thai- or Chinese- inspired broccoli slaw to advance your immune health.

Sardines
Fatty fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which research shows helps reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation in the body. In addition, a new study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows that omega-3 fatty acids may also help boost the immune system by enhancing the functioning of immune cells. While salmon, tuna, and trout are all good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, sardines may trump their fishy counterparts. Sardines are not only high in omega-3 fatty acids, due to their small size they are extremely low in contaminants such as mercury. Sardines also provide other important nutrients to keep your immune system running strong. For example, a ¼ cup serving of BELA sardines in olive oil contains 120 calories, 13 grams of protein, and is packed with calcium and vitamin D for good health. Try pairing sardines with salad greens, avocado halves, walnuts, pistachios, or goji berries for added nutrition and flavor.

Yogurt
Regularly eating “good bacteria” (or probiotics) can help improve digestion and strengthen your immune system. Look for “live and active cultures” on the yogurt label as research shows they may stimulate your immune system to fight disease. A study from the University of Vienna in Austria showed that a daily yogurt (7 ounces) was as effective in promoting immunity as taking pills. Another benefit, yogurt and other dairy foods are also fortified with vitamin D. Recent research has linked low levels of vitamin D to an increased risk of flu and colds. For optimal health, stay away from yogurts with added sugars and artificial sweeteners. A sweetened yogurt can easily have as much added sugar as a soda. Instead, choose a plain yogurt and add your own natural sweetness like fresh berries, dried fruit or a touch of honey. In addition to yogurt, fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and vinegar-based pickles, as well as Kefir (a yogurt-based drink) provide probiotics to keep your system running strong.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms have long been known to promote a healthy immune system. They are rich in selenium, B vitamins, and antioxidants, which are all important nutrients to keep your body running strong. In addition, recent research shows that mushrooms increase the production and activity of white blood cells, which is beneficial when having to fight off infection. Maitake, reishi, and shiitake mushrooms seem to provide the largest benefit to immunity. For maximum immune-boosting benefits, aim for an ounce or two a day. Mushrooms work great in salads, pasta sauces, sautés, omelets, soups, on pizza, or as a meat substitute to ground beef.

Tea
Whether you prefer green or black tea, your immune system is in luck. Both provide disease-fighting antioxidants (polyphenols and flavonoids) that protect against free radicals and help destroy them. One study showed that catechins, a particular type of polyphenols in tea, kill certain viruses. Another Harvard study showed that people who drank 5 cups a day of black tea for two weeks had 10 times more virus-fighting interferon in their blood than other who drank a placebo hot drink. Both black tea and green tea are rich in L-theanine, an amino acid thought to help enhance immunity that’s found in both regular and decaf versions.

I don’t think it’s any secret that I despise the treadmill. If I had the choice between banging out a five-miler on that hamster wheel or slogging through a snowy Central Park, I’d definitely pick the latter. Personal preferences aside, the treadmill can actually be a pretty useful tool—There I said it)—if used correctly.

To help make my miles more manageable, and just get a better overall workout when I do find myself on the treadmill belt, I reached out to David Siik, a running coach and creator of Equinox’s treadmill training program Precision Running. I put his tips to the test, and actually enjoyed my last treadmill session. Read on the see if they help you tread right, too.

Plan ahead
Don’t just hop on and go. First of all, you’ll be incredibly bored and more likely to stop short of your goal. Instead, have a strategy—whether it’s speed intervals, incline intervals, or a combination of both. This will not only keep you engaged (and challenged!), but help you make real fitness strides, too. What’s more: You’ll probably end up logging even more miles in less time simply by varying your tempo.

Take your hands off the rails during inclines
You probably see people doing this all the time. Heck, you may even do it yourself, but Siik says it’s a big no no.

“Holding on isn’t good for your back, and it’s not helping you get any stronger either,” he explained.

Feel the need to grip for dear life on? Chances are you’re going too fast for that particular incline. Siik’s suggestion: Slow your pace until you can climb without clinging on.

RELATED: 10 Exercise Cheats That Blow Your Calorie Burn

Step back from the display console
Running too close to the display causes you to shorten your stride and run with an unnatural posture, all of which means you aren’t running as efficiently as you could be. So inch back and give yourself some room. (Don’t worry, you probably won’t fall off the back of the treadmill, but you can always clip the emergency stop cord to your shirt for peace of mind.)

Stretch your arms and shoulders first
You may think your legs are doing all the work, but your upper body participates in your runs as well.

“Your arms and shoulders play a crucial role in balancing forces created when running,” Siik said.

They also help drive you forward, so make sure they’re warmed up and just as ready to work as your legs. Try this: Grab the ends of a towel with both hands, holding it taut behind your head. While maintaining tension in the towel, bend one arm, then the other, slowly moving the towel back and forth behind your neck.

RELATED: 10 Exercises for Healthy Knees

Minimize arm swinging
Avoid swinging your arms across the center line of your body, advised Siik. The goal: “Keep them parallel to your legs to create a more stable running form and to work your core better.” Your hands should move up and down, not side to side.

Relax your face and hands
Yes, running can be tough, but try not to show the strain on your face by scrunching it all up when you’re doing intervals. Keep things loose and remember to breathe. Also important: Relax your hands. This will reduce tension in the body, creating a more smooth and relaxed running form, which will allow you do to more and hurt less.

Say ‘no’ to smartphones
These days, we all seem to be tethered to our iPhones or Androids. But the treadmill and these techy gadgets just don’t mix. One misstep caused by trying to shoot off a quick text while cruising at a 7.0 could leave you sidelined. Plus, research shows that people who spent more time on their smartphones were less physically fit than their lower-use counterparts. Limit your phone use to a rockin’ playlist.

The holiday season is for many, the busiest time of the year. Planning nutritious lunches will save time and help you avoid the “grab anything I can eat because I am hungry” pattern that people sometimes slip into.

Think of recipes for lunches in 3 ways:
1. Foods to make ahead of time, freeze, heat, and eat ( these include soups and stews);
2. Foods that you can partially make ahead of time ( beans or rice that can be made and frozen); and
3. Foods that are made within hours of eating or the night before and stored properly (like salads).
Here are nutritious recipes that are posted on our website to help you plan for five days of lunches.

Many of you want to know how to cut back on preparation time and how to maximize nutrition in a recipe. Suggestions are provided below.

Day 1
Cinnamon Chicken Salad
This recipe should be made within hours of eating and stored properly. It contains mayonnaise and this ingredient does not freeze well. Click here for the recipe.

Suggestion(s) to cut down on time:
1. Use leftover roasted chicken or plain roasted rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.

Comments on the recipe to maximize nutrition:
The amount of saturated fat in chicken is dependent on the piece used. Here are some comparisons of one cup of chicken:
1. Dark Meat with skin roasted 6.3 grams
2. Dark Meat no skin roasted 3.7 grams
3. Breast with skin roasted 3.1 grams
4. Breast no skin roasted 1.4 grams

As you can see the best choice to decrease the amount of saturated fat is the roasted breast with the skin removed. The American Diabetes Association recommends eating less than 7 percent of daily calories as saturated fat. This can help lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. (1)

Day 2
Minted Lentil and Tomato Salad
This is a recipe that you can partially make ahead of time. Click here for recipe.

Suggestion(s) to cut down on time:
1. Cook a large batch of lentils when time permits. After cooking, place on a cookie tray and freeze for a few hours. When frozen transfer the lentils into small freezer bags. Label the bags as Lentils with the amount and date frozen. Lentils can be used for up to 3 months after freezing. (2)

Comments on the recipe to maximize nutrition:
1. To cut way down on sodium, make the lentils them from dried instead of using canned.
2. Lentils are very high in fiber. One serving of this recipe provides 11 grams of fiber.

The Institute for Medicine guidelines for fiber are:
Men (Age 50 and younger) – 38 grams/day
Men (Age 51 and older) – 30 grams/day
Women (Age 50 and younger) – 25 grams/day
Women (Age 51 and older) – 21 grams/day (3)

Day 3
Quick Turkey Soup
This recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen. Click here for the recipe.

Suggestion(s) to cut down on time:
1. Use leftover roasted turkey from a holiday party.
2. Make a large batch of brown rice. Cool and then freeze in freezer bags. Don’t forget to label the bags with the product name (Rice), the date it was made, and the amount. Cooked brown rice can be frozen for 6 months. (4)
3. After making soup, you can freeze it in individual serving size freezer containers for up to 6 months. (5)

Comments on the recipe to maximize nutrition:
1. This recipe can be extremely high in sodium if the wrong ingredients are used. To cut back use low sodium chicken broth and make your rice without adding salt. Do not add extra miso paste as it is very high in sodium.
2. As stated in the recipe, you can add any extra vegetables you have. Do remember that these vegetables will not be part of the nutrition information for the recipe.

Day 4
Chicken Fingers
These are best either the day made, or if stored properly, they can be heated for lunch. Click here for the recipe.

Suggestion(s) to cut down on time:
1. Use pre-crushed corn flake crumbs or put cornflakes in large zip lock bag before rolling them with a rolling pin.
2. Use fresh skinless chicken breasts to cut down on the thawing time.
3. Use liquid egg whites.

Comments on the recipe to maximize nutrition:
This recipe cuts back on fat by baking the chicken fingers instead of frying them. As this recipe does not contain any fiber, make sure you combine it with foods such as beans and vegetables.

Day 5
Garden Quesadillas
This can be partially made ahead of time. Click here for the recipe.

Suggestion(s) to cut down on time:
Cook your sweet potatoes and onion the day before and refrigerate.

Comments on the recipe to maximize nutrition:
Many people will need more than one serving of this recipe for lunch. It is an excellent source of vitamin C. If it fits in your food plan, eat this with a few servings of your favorite vegetables and a serving of non-fat yogurt. Yum!

• By Alaina Vieru
 
• 27 DECEMBER 2014