The Art of Beauty and Well-being Issue 11 2016 | Page 26

Nutrition to avoid
Winter colds and flu.
By Elspeth Waters for CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine).
Having adequate ‘good’ gut
flora is the best defence against
external pathogens, so keep
your levels topped up with daily
servings of probiotic, fermented
food and drinks, such as raw
sauerkraut and fermented
vegetables, kefir and kombucha,
or take a multi-strain probiotic
supplement.
Vitamin D3 helps regulate
the immune system but our
levels often dwindle in the
UK during winter. In terms of
food, fermented cod liver oil is
the best source. Oily fish and
grass-fed meat and eggs will
also provide some, but a D3
supplement may be needed.
Think zinc as well as Vitamin C
as both nutrients are essential
components of our immune cell
response.Vitamin C is readily
available in fruit and green veg
but levels are quickly depleted
by cooking and storage.
Consider boosting your intake
of natural vitamin C with a
concentrated fruit powder such
as baobob, rosehip or acerola
cherry. Zinc is found in meat,
liver, seafood and nuts and
seeds, especially pumpkin seeds.
Bee pollen – ‘Mother Nature’s
multivitamin and mineral’ –
contains nearly every nutrient

26 the art of beauty & well-being

we need so taking a spoonful or
two a day can help boost overall
energy and vitality.
Viruses and bacteria are
transmitted through the nose
and mouth and it is mucous
they latch on to. Saline nasal
rinses help to keep the airways
clear, as does oil pulling, an
Ayurvedic tradition of swishing
oil (virgin sesame, sunflower
or coconut) around the mouth
for 5-20 minutes before teeth
cleaning. The oil helps to drain
mucous and draw out all the old
immune cells and their waste
products from the sinuses and
nearby lymphatic tissue to keep
the passages smooth and clear.
Avoid sugar! Not only does
it suppress our immunity, it
also feeds bacteria, viruses and
fungus and promotes mucous
production so will prolong an
infection. Opt for unprocessed
organic food and supplements
to minimise intake of immunesuppressing toxins.
Immune-boosting herbs include
elderberry, echinacea, olive leaf,
oregano and raw honey. Taking
andrographis at the first sign of
illness can significantly reduce
its severity and duration, too.

Elspeth Waters trained in
Nutritional Therapy with CNM
(College of Naturopathic
Medicine), which offers training
in a wide range of natural health

CNM

therapies, from colleges a