I have a super simple, quick, delicious and…HEALTHY recipe for you!

Wanna know what foods (including this dish) can help keep you from getting sick?    Then read on…

Oh and, bon Appetit!

Cilantro Salmon Stuffed Avocado

You Are What You Eat

Inflammation is your immune system’s way of fending off invaders.  Think of a time a cut became red, swollen, sore…inflamed.  Now think of another cut that perhaps you washed immediately and managed to keep clean, and it never became red, swollen, sore.  Because it didn’t need to. 

Now imagine if you had many, many cuts, bacteria, viruses all at once.  Your immune system can become overwhelmed and unable to keep up with demand, so it’s important to help reduce the workload so that your immune system can mobilize full force when you need it most.  Many of us have come down with colds or the flu during times of ongoing stress – that’s not a coincidence! 

 

The raging Covid-19 should be a motivating factor to adopt healthier behaviors.

There’s a big difference between never contracting Covid-19 and spending your final days in ICU.  There’s a big difference between experiencing Covid-19 as something you’d compare to a bad cold or mild case of the flu and something that causes you to fear for your life.  One of the few things every human on the planet can agree on is that they’d prefer to not contract the virus and if they do, they’d prefer the illness to be relatively mild.

Likewise, if you are in at higher risk group, you have a lot more riding on this than a super healthy, fit 20 year old.

So, how can you level the playing field?

You affect what you can.  You’ve likely heard such comments lately as:

 “If it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen.  There’s nothing I can do about it.” 

“I’m young and healthy, so I’m not worried.”

“I’m an American, it’s my right to do want I want and go where I want.” 

Each of those statements are DEAD WRONG!  There is so much you, yes, YOU, can do to protect yourself and those around you!  Lending your immune system a hand by reducing inflammation is a big one.  

While there are many other ways to combat inflammation, today we’re focusing on diet.  You are what you eat, after all.

The basic premise is: avoid inflammatory foods and increase anti-inflammatory foods.

AVOID

All sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup.

Refined carbs such as white bread, most pasta, packaged/processed bakery items, most boxed cereals, etc.

Really just avoid all processed foods, including processed meats such as lunchmeat and ham

Limited or no alcohol

Vegetable oils and saturated fats

INCREASE

Nutrient dense foods, organic when available

Fermented foods

Berries

Nuts and seeds

Foods high in omega 3’s

Here is a Cheat Sheet of What To Eat During Covid-19.  Put it on your fridge and use it to plan your meals and grocery shop.  Also, make sure you have extras on hand of some of your favorites.  Veg out on your favorite ‘healthy’ foods is way better than junk food.  Seriously, let’s not create a ‘Coronavirus 20’.  The freshman 20 is bad enough; the office 20 is bad enough; we don’t need to go there.

If you can get super serious and dedicated, check out the Anti-Inflammatory Diet; Autoimmune Protocol (even if you don’t have an autoimmune condition); the Mediterranean Diet or even the Paleo Diet – even if only for the duration of the pandemic.  However, any steps in this direction will be a salve to your inflamed soul and the best kindness you can offer yourself right now.

Here’s to staying healthy!