Foods to help boost immune system?
Meet the Experts
Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph. is an adult development specialist and health promotion educator who develops and delivers programs and products to support lifestyle change.
Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.
Question from NancyB: Are there foods that can help boost your immune system?
- Answers —Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.: The research on immune system and foods has been done on seniors, and seniors who eat well and supplement responsibly can stimulate their immune activities. In all the studies, there were people who took placebos, or had a more placebo-like diet, so they know that good nutrition helped. We are talking about foods like broccoli, spinach and oranges, and the ones with beta carotene, carrots and apricots.
- Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: The main idea here is that good nutrition contributes to your general good health. And when your whole system is feeling strong, it can do its best job of fighting off illness.
- Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.: I have a couple of snacks I suggest for people who want to boost their immune system. Fresh strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are really good and available now. Stir any fresh fruits into non-fat yogurt. Put unsweetened fruit juice in ice cube trays, and suck on those. Honeydew melons filled with yogurt, smoothies with non-fat milk and fresh fruit. Carrots are really good, so carrots even dunked in peanut butter.
On Wednesday, July 19, 2000, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Food for Cancer Recovery. Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about nutrition and how it relates to cancer recovery.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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