Improving Immunity

through Nutrition
Betsy Ford, MPH
Anne Sears, MS
Poll!
 There is no perfect diet or magic foods that
prevent against COVID-19 or other illnesses.

However, eating a balanced diet &

incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods
are a great way to boost immunity.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
༝ Healthy fats:
○ Oils: Olive, canola, soy, or flaxseed
○ Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds
○ Fatty fish: Tuna, sardines, mackerel, catfish, trout, and salmon (*consider adding in a
fish oil or Algal Omega 3 supplement if you don’t eat fish - 2g 3 x per week)
༝ Antioxidant rich foods:
○ Citrus fruits and berries
○ Tomatoes and bell peppers
༝ Green leafy vegetables
○ Spinach, mustard greens, kale, chard, bok choy
○ Broccoli
Anti-Inflammatory Herbs & Spices
● Turmeric
● Ginger
● Cinnamon
● Garlic
● Oregano
● Rosemary
● Thyme
Immune Boosting Vitamins &
Minerals

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Vitamin C
● Strawberries
● Kiwi
● Broccoli
● Tomato
● Bell pepper
● Citrus fruits like oranges, lemon, grapefruit
Zinc
● Lentils & Beans
● Oatmeal
● Oysters
● Yogurt
● Mushrooms
● Cashews
● Tofu
● Swiss cheese
● Beef
● Pork
● Chicken (dark meat)
Calcium
● Dairy
○ Yogurt
○ Cheese
○ Milk
● Sardines
● Leafy greens (spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens)
● Tofu & soybeans (edamame)
Vitamin D
● Fortified milk
● Fish (Trout, Salmon)
● Mushrooms
● Sunshine! - But Michigan is too far North for us to synthesize
much of our own Vitamin D
○ This is exacerbated for BIPOC with highly melanated skin so daily
supplementation is a good idea!
○ (1000 IU of Vitamin D3/day)
Vitamin E

● Nut butters
● Sunflower seeds
● Almonds
● Green leafy vegetables
● Canned tomato sauce
Pro-Inflammatory Foods to Limit
༝ Refined carbohydrates (white bread, pastries, cookies,
cakes)
༝ Fried foods
༝ Soda and other sugary beverages
༝ Red meat & processed meats (burgers, hot dogs)
༝ Margarine/butter, lard, shortening
Key Takeaways:
༝ Eating a variety of different foods is the best
way to get all the nutrients you need.
༝ Food first! - The best way to get adequate
vitamins and minerals is through food, not
supplementation.

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Balance Your Plate!

● Aim to eat 2 cups of fruits AND

vegetables per day
● Start slow by adding a cup of one or the
other at a time!
Questions?

20
 Quick Food
Storage Guide
Other Food Storage Tips & Tricks
༝ Store herbs, spinach, greens, etc with stems in a small
jar/can of water in the fridge or on the counter to keep longer
༝ Squirt lemon / lime juice on leftover avocado to prevent
browning (this also works for apples!)
༝ Throw whole, peeled (or unpeeled!) bananas in the freezer
for use in smoothies, quick breads, or as a sweetener for
oatmeal
༝ Rinse berries with hot water then ice cold water to kill
bacteria and prevent mold
༝ Chop fresh veggies on grocery day for quick use during the
week
Poll!
Thank you!