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| Squash | Sesame Seeds |
| Squash, or any orange vegetable, is a terrific source of
vitamin A. The reason? They’re
rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an
orange-red carotenoid that’s
been shown to have very
powerful antioxidants and
anti-inflammatory properties.
Squash also contains
beta-carotene, which turns into
vitamin A, and is important for
our skin. |
Sesame seeds are a great source of all kinds of minerals, including zinc. Zinc helps develop white blood cells, which we really need to fight off foreign bacteria and viruses. They’re also high in sterols and sterolins, which enhance the activity of the TH1 T-helper cells that control autoimmune processes, including allergies. |
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| Mushrooms | Live Yogurt |
| Mushrooms help in the production of white blood cells in the body. Some recent studies on shiitake mushrooms link their benefits to an active compound contained in these mushrooms called lentinan. Among lentinan’s healing benefits is its ability to power up the immune system, strengthening its ability to fight infection and disease. | Live yogurt contains Lactobacillus casei, a strain of friendly bacteria shown to significantly improve the immune response and the body’s ability to fight off pneumonia. Yogurt is especially important to eat after you’ve been prescribed antibiotics. Brands that contain active probiotic cultures are a good source of healthy bacteria for your stomach. The lack of those bacteria can make us vulnerable to germs that, for instance, can cause diarrhea. |
References:
Yuan JM, Stram DO, Arakawa K, Lee HP, Yu MC. Dietary cryptoxanthin and reduced risk of lung cancer: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Sep;12(9):890-8.)
Gordon M, Bihari B, Goosby E, et al. A placebo-controlled trial of the immune modulator, lentinan, in HIV-positive patients: a phase I/II trial. J Med 1998;29(5-6):305-30 1998.
Meyer AL, Micksche M, Herbacek I, Elmadfa I. Daily intake of probiotic as well as conventional yogurt has a stimulating effect on cellular immunity in young healthy women. Ann Nutr Metab. 2006;50(3):282-9. Epub 2006 Feb 23. PMID:16508257.
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