Optimum Wellness

(CBS) With cold and flu season underway, we need all the help we can get to keep our bodies healthy, strong, and resilient to the millions of germs anxiously awaiting the opportunity to attack a challenged immune system. Come October, advertisements for immune- boosting cough and cold medicines, herbal remedies, vitamins, and other dietary supplements spring up like wildflowers and the importance of washing our hands becomes triple fold. Despite all of these precautions, we still seem to be getting sick. There must be more we can do to keep our immunity strong.

There is, and it doesn't come in the form of a pill or a hand sanitizer. In fact, despite all of our health safety measures, we may be failing to take advantage of the strongest immunity boosting approach of all -- a healthy diet rich in whole foods.

The term "whole foods" refers to foods that are eaten in their natural state; in other words, foods that have not been processed, refined or even cooked. They include no harmful additives, processed chemicals, or artificial ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, whole grains and unprocessed meats and fish are all examples of whole foods. By eating foods in their natural state, we are assuring that we are getting the maximum nutritional value possible from that food.

The healing properties of food have been known for centuries. Many forms of ancient medicine, including Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine, focus on the power and influence that food has on the health and balance of our bodies. Food is used as the main source of medicine as it is recognized how powerful the healing potential of the right kinds of foods can be. As opposed to the average American diet, which focuses on processed and fast foods, great care is put into figuring out the most appropriate food for the health of our bodies and unique constitutions.

Whole foods contain the greatest benefits when it comes down to our health. When foods are overly processed, our bodies may have a hard time digesting and even recognize the ingredients we are trying to digest. During the processing, many of the plant food's natural immune boosters are damaged or destroyed during processing.

Whole foods contain a natural abundance of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients like fiber and healthy fats that our bodies need to stay healthy and strong. In addition to keeping us healthy, whole foods may even serve to reverse the negative effects of eating unhealthy food. Eating the right whole foods can decrease inflammation in the body, often caused by processed and high fat foods.

Whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, contain naturally occurring substances known as phytonutrients. Phytonutrients help the plant food fight off harmful diseases. When we consume these foods, it is believed that the health-promoting properties of the phytonutrients transfer to us and aid in our body's natural line of defense against sickness and disease. When these foods are processed or even cooked, many of these phytonutrients are destroyed before they reach our bodies.

Just as whole foods can help strengthen our immunity, processed foods can weaken it. Over 6,000 preservatives, additives, and chemicals are used in processed foods today, many which are slowly being found to be extremely harmful to our bodies. For instance, monosodium glutamate (MSG), is one of the most popular additives in processed food. It's used to increase flavor and can be found in soups, crackers, sauces, chicken stocks, Chinese food, processed vegetables, and thousands of other processed foods. In recent years MSG has been found to cause a plethora of health problems including headaches, dizziness, chest pains, depression, mood swings and obesity. MSG is only one example. Consider the effects of the other chemicals being put into our foods. Cancer, diabetes, allergies, behavioral problems and neurological toxicity are just a few more possible side effects of processed foods.

While consumption of whole foods strengthens our body's defenses through anti-oxidants and immune boosting vitamins and minerals, processed food inhibits the ability of our white blood cells to fight off infection, making it easier for us to get sick during flu season. Eating too many processed foods can drain us of energy and leave us feel sluggish and "icky" as it often takes our bodies a vast amount of effort to break down the synthetic ingredients found in these foods. You are likely to feel a dramatically noticeable spike in your energy levels when you take the step to introduce more whole foods into your diet.

Although the term "whole food" is not synonymous with the term "organic," it is best to buy organic whole foods as opposed to non-organic as fertilizers and pesticide chemicals can also negatively affect our health and kill some of the nutrients in whole foods.

Some of the most effective immune-strengthening whole foods include almonds, garlic, arugula, kiwi, kale, broccoli, guava, papaya, bananas, red grapes, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, onion, whole grains and flax seed.
For an added boost for the immune system consider incorporating these immune boosting herbs into your diet: Astragalus, Ashwaghanda, Rhodiola, and Echinacea.

This flu and cold season, before you reach for the plastic gloves and mega multi-vitamins, consider the healing power of whole foods and head out to the grocery store to stock up on immune-boosting and healing food.

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