9 Superfoods That Might Improve Your Health

With winter just around the corner, it’s time we all started to look after ourselves a little bit more. Here are nine foods well-known for helping our bodies, based on information from prevention.com. But keep in mind, this is just a guide and each autoimmune patient has individual needs.

1. Yogurt

Providing you can eat dairy without any side effects, the natural probiotics found in yogurt are great for keeping the gastrointestinal tract healthy and in order. Opt for ones without added sugar or sweeteners if possible.

Read our resident columnist Nicola Whitehill’s diet tips which helped her with her scleroderma symptoms.

2. Oats and Barley

Adding oats to your diet in the winter is easy, you can start your day with a hot bowl of oatmeal and you can switch barley for rice with your evening meal. Both of these grains are gentle on the stomach and are high in antioxidants–important for fighting off those winter bugs.

Discover six scleroderma-friendly recipes to cook this winter.

3. Beef

Beef is full of zinc, which many of us are low in over the winter months. Zinc helps to form healthy white blood cells which are important in the fight against winter illnesses. To get the most out of beef aim for lean and organic, grass-fed beef.

Read about seven facts about scleroderma-related pulmonary hypertension. 

4. Garlic

For optimum garlic power, you should eat two cloves of raw garlic a day. However, if this sounds unpalatable then you can either take garlic capsules or use lots of garlic in your cooking. The allicin in garlic is great for helping to fight off colds and flus.

Find out more about the scleroderma documentary Hard Life: Hard Skin.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Full of beta-carotene which is great for your skin, sweet potatoes make a healthier alternative to regular potatoes and are much lower on the GI scale.

Read about 10 important symptoms of scleroderma here. 

6. Oily Fish and Shellfish

Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and herrings are great sources of omega-3 which can help protect lungs from infections. The selenium found in shellfish such as prawns, oysters and mussels increases the amount of cytokines in the white blood cells which helps to fight off winter ailments.

Discover 10 tips to get you through cold and flu season. 

7. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are also good for keeping our white blood cells healthy, and they are a great source of vitamin D–which is in short supply in the winter months.

Are you deficient in vitamin D? Discover seven benefits of the sunshine vitamin. 

8. Chicken Soup

The go-to meal when you’re feeling under the weather, research shows that we should be eating chicken soup as a preventative dish as well as a restorative one. The salty brine helps to thin mucus, and the onions and vegetables added to the soup also provide bug-fighting nutrients.

Read about Project Scleroderma: Beneath the Surface here.

9. Tea

Black and green tea both contain lots of cold-busting antioxidants, even the decaffeinated varieties. Add lemon and honey instead of milk and sugar for a blast of vitamin C and antibacterial goodness.

Here are seven tips for living better with scleroderma. 

Scleroderma News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.