GET OUTSIDE, MOVE REGULARLY AND ENJOY NATURE TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY
Dr Jenna Macciochi, 39, is a lecturer in immunology at the University of Sussex. She lives in Hove with her partner Peter, who works for the Bank of England, and their twins, Luca and Bella, five.
From a young age, I was fascinated with health and disease. As a child I would get sick all the time, tonsillitis mostly, and in my 20s was diagnosed with coeliac disease, which finally explained it – and why every time I ate pizza I felt like I was in a coma.
Now, my friends are asking me if I started this pandemic because I have a book out called
Immunity: The Science
Of Staying Well. If I had known I would have written it differently because what you do in a pandemic is not the same as you would do for your immune system for life. Right now, people are looking for quick fixes and there are few. My general advice on immunity for life would be to get outdoors, move regularly, get into nature (compounds produced by trees and sunlight have a beneficial impact), and eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. But now some of that isn’t available. So follow the guidelines to the letter. I don’t wear a mask when I have to go out – only a few have been shown to be protective and these are crucial for those on the front line.
My workout week
Cycling, Pilates and lots of squats
I used to cycle to work 10 miles a day, now I try and squeeze in 20 minutes on a stationary bike at home. I do more conditioning work and less highintensity exercise as I get older; that was a Reformer Pilates class weekly (now an online mat class). I believe if you don’t use it, you lose it. I also do a lot of squats – sometimes we all squat when we’re eating dinner. I also squat while watching TV and waiting for the kettle. The more you do it, the easier it gets and it’s great for mobility.
My dieting principles
The five ‘f ’s: healthy fats, fibre, phytonutrients, fish and flavour
I focus on getting enough fibre to nourish my gut microbes as they are crucial to my immune system. I love chickpeas and use chickpea flour often. I eat a lot of fish and seafood for protein and aim to cook with different coloured vegetables to ensure I am getting all the different phytonutrients. These are plant compounds such as polyphenols and carotenoids that work to nourish our immune systems. I avoid saturated fat and focus on omega 3 fats in salmon and other oily fish. Finally, flavour is essential – I love healthy food to look and taste great.
What I eat in a typical day
Breakfast – eggs, spinach, avocado, mushrooms and tomatoes, or a green pancake of eggs with chick pea flour and spinach. Lunch – lentil dal. Dinner – chicken or salmon with potatoes and vegetables, or chicken curry with rice.
Snacks: none. My friends call me the anti-snacker because I like sitting down to meals.