Immuno-Rejuvenation with Phytonutrients. New Year. New Mindset.

Immuno-Rejuvenation. New Year. New Mindset.

People have never been more curious about strengthening the immune system than they are right now. This pandemic has us all thinking seriously about our health and what it means to have immune strength, now and in the future.

Dr. Jeffrey Bland is the Founder of the Institute for Functional Medicine and always has a way of looking at our health in ways others never have before. He says the New Mindset in 2021 shifts our focus from supporting the immune system to REJUVENATING the immune system! I love this new paradigm shift! 

If you want to hear the conversation about immune rejuvenation between Dr. Bland and Dr. Mark Hyman, listen here on The Doctor's Farmacy podcast. 

What Does it Mean to Rejuvenate Your Immune System?

Every 10 seconds of our life, the average person produces 1 million new white blood cells (immune cells), 20 million new red blood cells, and 30 million new platelet cells from our bone marrow. That’s mind-boggling and that’s called immune rejuvenation.

Are your old immune cells leaving when they’re supposed to? Are your new cells regenerating like they are supposed to?

How Do We Rejuvenate Our Immune System to do its Work?

The #1 way: Eat phytonutrients! These are the compounds within plants that keep them healthy and protect them from nature, and there are over 25,000 of them! Phytonutrients are able to speak to the plant’s immune system, and they can promote rejuvenation within the plant. Within the human body, phytonutrients work in a similar way and interact in all sorts of amazing ways with the cells of our bodies.

Phyto = Plants

Phytonutrients are the compounds that give brightly colored fruits and vegetables their color. 

I have two suggestions for adding more phytonutrients to your diet.

  1. Eat different color fruits and vegetables daily, and a lot of them.
  2. Include colorful superfood powders daily.

Phytonutrients: Eat the Rainbow

RED FOODS

Red Benefits: Supports immunity, DNA health, prostate, urinary tract, and heart health. 

apples, beets, blood orange, cherries, cranberry, goji,  pomegranate, radicchio, raspberry, red bell pepper, red cabbage, red onion, red pears, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon 

(select) Phytonutrients: Ellagic acid, Betalains, Lycopene, Quercetin, Hesperidin, Anthocyanidins

ORANGE FOODS

Orange Benefits: Good for vision, cell growth & development, immune function, and inflammation support.

apricots, camu camu, carrots, grapefruit, mangosteen, oranges, orange bell pepper, papaya, persimmon, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, tangerine, turmeric 

(select) Phytonutrients: Carotenoids, Papain, Bioflavonoids, Lutein, Hesperidin, Xanthones

YELLOW FOODS

Yellow Benefits: Good for eye health, cellular support, digestion, inflammation support.

Asian pears, banana, corn, ginger, lemon, noni fruit, pineapple, squash, yellow bell pepper, yellow onion 

(select) Phytonutrients: Bioflavonoids, Bromelain, Carotenoids, Gingerols, Limonoids, Lutein, Rutin, Zeaxanthin

GREEN FOODS 

Green Benefits: Supports liver function, detoxification, lung health, immunity, heart health, and health at a cellular level.  

Avocado, artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots, barley grass, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, celery, chlorella, cilantro, cucumber, dill, green beans, green grapes, green peas, green tea, honeydew, kiwi, leafy greens (beet, chard, collards, dandelion, kale, lettuce, mustard, spinach, turnip), limes, matcha tea, okra, rosemary, snow peas, spirulina, wheatgrass  

(select) Phytonutrients: Catechins, Chlorophyll, EGCG, Flavonoids, Glucosinolates, Isoflavones, Isothiocyanates, Kaempferol, Sulforaphane 

BLUE-PURPLE FOODS

Purple & Blue Benefits: Good for the brain & cognitive health, mood support, heart & arterial health, and overall healthy aging.

acai, bilberry, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, eggplant, elderberry, figs, huckleberries, kohlrabi, plums, purple cabbage, purple carrots, purple cauliflower, purple kale, purple grapes, purple potatoes, red onion   

(select) Phytonutrients: Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, Phenolics, Resveratrol

WHITE FOODS

White Benefits: Supports healthy bones, circulatory system, & arterial function. Great for immune function.

cauliflower, coconut, garlic, mushroom, onion, pear

(select) Phytonutrients: EGCG, Allicin, Sesamin, Quercetin, Glucosinolates, Indoles, Lauric Acid

Superfoods

Shop all Superfoods here. As you peruse, consider all the colors, and which color of the rainbow your diet is missing.

A New Mindset in 2021

Food is information for our body. I believe a new mindset will evolve in 2021. A mindset which involves learning to truly understand the immune system and how to assess its function. At Healthy Goods, we put phytonutrients on a pedestal, which is why we love our superfoods. 

Now more than ever is the time to double down on self-care — not just for ourselves, but as our civic responsibility to contribute to the solution.

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

The best way to test heavy metals.

Featured product

Hair Mineral Analysis Kit

Healthy Goods

Hair Mineral Analysis Kit

$249.95

Recently viewed