04/22
The Immune Boosting Powers of the World’s Healthiest Eaters
There are only 5 “Blue Zones” in the entire world. These regions are places where the average lifespan is extraordinarily long, and it isn’t unusual at all for people to live to be over 100. 3 of these blue zones are in the Mediterranean, and one of them, a small religious commune in California, has something in common with the other regions. The people in these long-lived locations eat what is commonly known as a “Mediterranean diet.”
These diets are typically low in meat, seasoned with spices instead of salt, and feature leafy greens and healthy fats such as olive oil. It’s a perfect recipe for good heart health, a strong mind, and one other thing of great interest to people around the world right now—a strong immune system.
How the Mediterranean diet can support your immune system
A big part of your immune system isn’t actually part of your body at all, but the billions of beneficial bacteria that live within it. Beneficial bacteria perform a range of functions for the body, such as making space unavailable for bad bacteria to grow in, as well as making certain nutrients bioavailable to the human body.
Some gut microbes produce compounds that prime immune cells to go after viruses, which make them ideal for situations such as flu season, or even Covid-19. Gut bacteria require certain needs to be met in order to thrive, and one of those needs is prebiotics, or food for the bacteria.
Fiber is a major food source for bacteria, and explains why although fiber has no nutrients the body needs, people are so much healthier when they get a lot of it.
The Mediterranean diet is packed with fiber with the wide array of leafy greens in it, as well as bacteria boosting savory yogurts.
Tips for getting the most out of your Mediterranean food
No matter what sort of Mediterranean food you choose, the odds are good it will be a healthy treat that is good for some part of your body. The Mediterranean diet is about balance, which means eating your fruits and vegetables, treating meat as a condiment rather than a main feature, and eating a variety.
Thanks to the huge variety available as part of a Mediterranean diet, finding new things to eat is easy. You might consider preparing a bunch of different side dishes rather than one main dish.
Not only will following these guidelines help protect you against colds, the flu, and other viruses, it might also help you avoid heart attacks and stroke. Switching to a Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest things you can do.
Aladdin’s Restaurant is still offering food through our carry-out options, bringing you healthy options for take-out. You can start taking steps towards good health, or maintaining the health you already have, through ordering some of our delicious Mediterranean foods. No matter what dish you choose, you’ll be making a healthy choice your immune system will thank you for.
www.aladdincafe.com
https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a20505989/mediterranean-diet-tips/
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-how-to-keep-your-gut-microbiome-healthy-to-fight-covid-19-134158
http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/nutrition-infocus/nutrition-advice-for-adults-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.html
https://www.nature.com/articleas/s41430-020-0635-2