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Lydia Hall, RDN
Center for Healthy Living
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Last Modified: February 27, 2025
Safety & Prevention, Nutrition & Recipes
This post was written based on a presentation by Lydia Hall, RDN, LD, community outreach dietitian, Parkview Center for Healthy Living.
The colder months put our immune systems to the test, bringing with them a rise in winter viruses, such as colds and influenza. Our immune systems are complex and can be influenced by many factors, like your nutrition, sleep, stress, age and other health conditions. Lifestyle habits, including the foods we eat, can either help or hinder our defenses. In this post, I’ll arm you with the guidance to strengthen your body’s response to germs.
The immune system is a network of organs, white blood cells, proteins and chemicals in your body that protects you from germs (bacteria and pathogens). It also helps you heal from damage to the cells caused by illness or injury. The immune system is always adapting.
There are many factors that affect your immune response, including:
o Allergies, autoimmune diseases, infections, cancer and sepsis
When it comes time for your body to mount a response, what you put on your plate could make a huge difference. Here are some of the ingredients to strong immunity.
While no one has perfect nutrition, aiming for these goals can help offer the boost your immune system needs:
When we talk about food safety, there are five key principles:
Getting a good range of nourishing foods on your plate, minimizing stress, optimizing sleep and practicing general safety in the kitchen is a great way to keep illness at bay.
To see more nutrition learning opportunities, visit our list of Classes and Events on parkview.com.
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