Eat right
Want to comfort eat? Try to resist. Eating or drinking 100g of sugar (about three cans of cola) can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by 40%. The immune-depleting effect of sugar starts within just 30 minutes. ‘Put down the biscuit tin and pick up the fruit bowl. Your body will be grateful for good sources of vitamin C,’ says Ali. Your stay-well shopping list: ✽ Garlic ‘When adding to food, cut it and cook immediately,’ says Dora Walsh, registered Nutritionist MBANT. ‘Don’t leave it chopped in your fridge because it will degrade.’ ✽ Oily fish helps to reduce inflammation. ✽ Broccoli Triggers cells to respond to pathogens (organisms that cause disease). ✽ Berries Good for boosting your vitamin c and also improving circulation. ✽ live yogurt Great for your gut, where 70% of your immune cells live.