Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. My doctor has recommended that I start taking vitamin C to build my immunity. I don’t like taking pills, so I wonder what foods I could incorporate into my diet to obtain the vitamin C that I need, naturally.
A. It is very important for all of us to have a strong immune system. I did a little bit of research and learned some interesting information. Did you know that one medium-sized, peeled whole navel orange contains 82.7 milligrams of vitamin C? According to Dr. Andrew Myers, who writes for Family Wellness, this is more than enough to satisfy the daily value of this important antioxidant, natural antihistamine, and immune system component. It also contains 31 grams of dietary fiber, approximately 12 percent of the daily value. Plus it has zero fat and cholesterol.
The Mayo Clinic defines vitamin C as a water-soluble vitamin that supports normal growth and development. It helps your body absorb iron. They also state that because your body doesn’t produce or store vitamin C, it’s important to include vitamin C in your diet. For most people, a small glass of orange juice plus a serving of strawberries, chopped red pepper, or broccoli provides enough vitamin C for the day. Any extra vitamin C will simply be flushed out of your body in your urine.
More importantly, Mayo Clinic described 10 foods they recommend to help stay healthy. They recommend these foods because they contain phytonutrients and vitamins that are known to decrease the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and boost your immune system. These items are also good choices because a small volume of these has huge health benefits.
Here are the top recommendations from the Mayo Clinic website:
Almonds – An average serving of these nuts offer fiber, fiboflavin, iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Apples – Pectin, a fiber that may help lower cholesterol, is found in apples. Apples also contain vitamin C, which helps as an antioxidant.
Blueberries – These berries are rich in antioxidants and can help ward off urinary tract infections. They are a good choice for those on low-carb diets.
Broccoli – Broccoli should be incorporated into the diet on a regular basis due to its high content of antioxidants and phytonutrients. These nutrients are a combination of compounds that help with chronic disease and contain calcium and potassium.
Red beans – These are full of phytonutrients and are also loaded with vitamins like iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Essential Fatty acids – Salmon is an excellent choice to find protein and omega-3 fatty acids. EFAs are noted in helping decrease blood clots.
Spinach – This leafy dark green helps boost your immune system and contains vitamins A and C.
Sweet potato – Rich in beta carotene, sweet potatoes help slow the aging process and can potentially reduce the risk of some types of cancers.
Adding these foods is a good defense now that we are in cold and flu season. As always, it is important to check with your doctor before adding or changing anything in your diet and to follow his recommendations.
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
