Today’s guest post comes from Sam Bearfoot. Sam is a Kinesiologist and has written a “Winter Wellness” piece for your own cold snap survival. Enjoy;

As a Kinesiologist I understand the importance of good digestion and the role it can play in a well supported immune system. Digestion is not usually at the top of the list when you think of ways to support your immunity. It has a pretty major role to play in how you feel and function as a whole and specifically because it’s where your body converts all the nutrients you eat into energy.

Here’s the do’s and don’ts:

Avoid the bread rolls – Although it’s always tempting when you’re hungry to reach for that bread roll that’s been staring you in the face for the last 10 minutes, don’t, resist people! Wheat is not friends to many and can play havoc on your digestion. On top of this it will fill you up before the good stuff arrives.

Swap the water for a glass of wine – This is the one and only time I ever recommend that you don’t drink water, albeit a temporary one of course. Consuming a large amount of water whilst your eating your meal will not only fill you up, but will also slow down your digestion. Cleansing the pallet from time to time is fine and sipping some wine which requires digestion is also fine but whilst eating keep drinking to a minimum.

Take the plunge – Fish are not only easily digestible but they are also a good source of protein, omega oils and vitamin B6. The production of antibodies depends on a good regular source of B6, something which we need plenty of throughout the winter season.

Keep it lean – if you’re not a fish lover then go with a lean beef or lamb. These are good sources of zinc and iron which are both said to have positive affects to your immune system because of their antioxidant powers.

Stay in season – No i’m not talking about the lastest handbag ladies, I’m talking about root vegetables. These should now start to make up your dietary fibre as they will be available in abundance throughout winter. Look for beets, turnip, carrots and sweet potato for maximum amounts of the all important Vitamin C. Getting good sources of dietary fibre in daily is crucial for good digestion.

A clove a day keeps the vampires away – Garlic is a fabulous defensive nutrient and also super supportive for digestion. It contains allicin which is a substance that is anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial,  this makes it a must on any winter diet.

 Click for more > Cold and Flu Remedies!

The dreaded carbs – Carbs really aren’t the enemy it’s just that we eat too much of them in one sitting. When we over eat our body has to produce hormones using our endocrine system to balance our blood sugars and doing this too frequently isn’t a good thing. If you must venture into the realm of carbs and more specifically the refined version my general rule of thumb is to have no more than I can hold in 1 cupped hand.

When all else fails – We’ve all been there, the menu is amazing and you have to have EVERYTHING but this can leave you feeling, well, larger than normal. The trick I always have up my sleeve are a supplement called enzymes. You take them with your food and they aid your digestion by breakdown your food.

Last but not least – relax and enjoy your meal. Stress is a big player in suppressing the immune system so we must find the time to relax and de-stress where possible.

Sam is a qualified Systematic Kinesiologist that uses her skills as a therapist to provide a completely unique approach to well-being for each and every individual she sees. Sam is CEO/Founder of Body Sync the Health & Wellness Professional specialising in Systematic Kinesiology: http://body-sync.com/

Her passion in life is her ability to help others work towards a better way of living. Given her own personal experience and career background, she specializes in helping other business owners reach their optimum health goals.

Sam’s qualifications are as follows: BSYA (Kin), Cert. ASK, ITEC APP although she continues to study and advance her knowledge within her field.

Why not tweet Sam @BodySync or email her sam@body-sync.com if anyone has any questions.

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Want to meet other people that share an interest in nutrition.  Then why not join our Healthy Eating Crowd here. Alternatively, join the up coming vegetarian dinner at The Gate Islington here.