Community Health Services of Union County, Inc.
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Protect Your Health with Immune-Boosting Nutrition
Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune system, which offers protection from seasonal illness such as the flu and other health problems including arthritis, allergies, abnormal cell development and cancers. Help protect yourself against infection and boost your immunity by including these nutrients in your eating plan.
Protein: plays a role in the body's immune system, especially for healing and recovery. Eat a variety of protein foods including seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products and unsalted nuts and seeds.
Vitamin A: helps regulate the immune system and protect against infections by keeping skin and tissues in the mouth, stomach, intestines and respiratory system healthy. Get this immune-boosting vitamin from foods such as sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, red bell peppers, apricots, eggs or foods labeled "vitamin A fortified," such as milk or some cereals.
Vitamin C: helps protect you from infection by stimulating the formation of antibodies and boosting immunity. Include more sources of this healthy vitamin by choosing citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and tangerines, or red bell pepper, papaya, strawberries, tomato juice or foods fortified with vitamin C, such as some cereals.
Vitamin E: works as an antioxidant, neutralizes free radicals and may improve immune function. Include vitamin E in your diet with fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, vegetable oils (such as sunflower or safflower oil), hazelnuts and peanut butter
Zinc: helps the immune system work properly and may help wounds heal. Zinc can be found in lean meat, poultry, seafood, milk, whole grain products, beans, seeds and nuts.
Other nutrients: including vitamin B6, folate, selenium, iron, as well as prebiotics and probiotics, also may influence immune response and play a role in a healthful eating style. Obtaining these nutrients from foods is preferred, so be sure to speak with your health care provider or a registered dietitian nutritionist before taking any immune-boosting supplements.
10 tips to cope with Sleep Apnea
1.Slim Down: Lose excess weight to breathe more easily overnight.
2.Review Your Medications: Ask your doctor if any drugs you take impact sleep.
3.Listen Up: If your partner says you snore, take it seriously. It could indicate sleep apnea.
4.Quit Smoking: Tobacco irritates your airway, so ditch the cigarettes to improve sleep.
5.Have an Exam: Get evaluated for heart disease and other conditions affected by sleep apnea.
6.Seek Counseling: Try cognitive behavioral therapy to develop better sleep habits.
7.Remove Obstacles: Have a specialist check your nose and throat for obstructions.
8.Ease In: Create a relaxing pre-bedtime routine to improve your sleep.
9.Find Friends: Join a sleep apnea support group to connect with others.
10.Roll Over: Sleep on your side, not your back, to breathe better.
The Sleep and Nutrition Cycle
Many people who don’t get enough sleep also don’t eat well. The two problems poor sleep and poor nutrition may actually feed each other. In a large study of adult’s diets and lifestyles, researchers found that those who slept the least also consumed the least magnesium, niacin, vitamin D, calcium, and fiber. Lack of sleep could push people to snack on empty calories and miss out on these nutrients. But, the researchers say, it’s possible that poor nutrition is what’s keeping people awake at night.