How to grocery shop for Immuno-Rejuvenation
One great way to prioritize immunity on a daily basis is by eating the right foods. Unfortunately, even the best attempts at selecting healthful foods can all too easily be sabotaged.
That’s because so many of the foods and beverages sold in stores today are packed with unhealthy ingredients that can throw off immune balance. Many have their best ingredients stripped out through processing.
Luckily, there are some simple tricks that can help us stay on track when planning for a grocery run. Here are 3 of our favorite tips on grocery shopping for Immuno-Rejuvenation.
Stick to the periphery of the grocery store
The sad reality is that the majority of “foods” and beverages found in a modern grocery store are packed with ingredients that can affect immune balance.
These unhealthy foods tend to be those which have undergone more processing — important ingredients have been taken away while junk has been added in.
In most grocery stores, the periphery is where you’ll find fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in polyphenols, as well as foods like cold-water fish, which tend to be high in omega-3 fats. Both polyphenols and omega-3 fats appear to play key roles in helping to promote Immuno-Rejuvenation.
Read the ingredients list carefully
One of the easiest ways to see through marketing claims is to simply look at the ingredients list on the back of a food or beverage. Ideally, try to look for foods that don’t need ingredients. For example, a broccoli floret is just broccoli, and a salmon fillet is just salmon.
If your purchase has an ingredients list, try to opt for shorter lists where you can recognize and vouch for all the ingredients.
Lastly, be on the lookout for and try to avoid added sugar. You’ll be surprised to find that many ingredients in our foods and drinks are actually one form or another of added sugar. High fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, agave nectar, etc … these are all just sneaky ways to say there’s extra sugar added to your purchase. Research is indicating that too much added sugar may have detrimental effects on a variety of health outcomes, including impaired immune balance.
Choose nature’s version
Even though our taste buds may argue otherwise, the synthetic foods that line the aisles of our grocery stores are not great for overall health, and may be especially harmful to immune balance.
Marketers love to try to convince us that a “natural” stamp on a food has significance, but there’s really very little meaning to that claim.
Instead of trying to find the best “natural” cookie, look to nature’s desserts — antioxidant rich berries like blueberries, or unsweetened coconut flakes. Instead of choosing a sugary energy bar packed with additives, look for nature’s energy bites — like nuts and seeds.
The foods that come more directly from nature may not be marketed as well as their highly-processed “natural” counterparts, but they’re definitely a better bet when it comes to prioritizing wellness.
The take home message
We know it can seem like an uphill battle trying to get healthy when poor-quality food is cheaper, more easily available, and widely marketed to children and adults. But making just a couple of these simple changes to your grocery plans is an amazing way to help move the needle towards immune balance.
For some creative ways to experiment in the kitchen, check out our growing list of recipes.
