It is pretty simple, there aren't any miracle foods you need to help your immune system, especially when focusing on a vegan diet. It is important to focus on increasing vitamin c, zinc, iron, carotenoids, and bioflavenoids. Seeds, especially pumpking seeds, are a good source of zinc, as well as beans. Iron is found in dark green, oats, rice, pasta and tofu. Carotenoids, like beta carotene, can come from any fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables, since it is found in the skins. Bioflavenoids, which help boost vitamin c intake, are in garlic, berries, herbal teas, and buckwheat. I personally swear by garlic when I am sick, as well as cayenne peppers, which helps clear out any kind of buildups in the body. Garlic is an anti-viral and anti-bacterial agent, and also stops the formation of blood clots
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I'd look into Vitamin D supplementation. D can be hard to get on a vegan diet and it's great for a million reasons (lots of recent research on D has shown how important it is for so many biochemical processes), but immune system is definitely at the top. Make sure you get D2 and not D3 (which is animal derived - if you live in a small town you may have to order online), and you want at least 1,000 IU pills.
If you're bruising easily you may want to up the iron intake. I'm pregnant and my iron was dropping, so I added a tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses each day, washed down with a glass of OJ because Vitamin C greatly increases iron absorption.
As far as foods to add, I'd say greens greens greens! They are so full of good stuff (including iron) and I always feel healthier and stronger when I'm including a big dose of dark leafy greens in my diet.
Thanks, everyone! Sounds like I've got things covered, as far as my diet goes. I will look into the vitamin D. I'm OK on iron. I know this, because I just had my pre-surgical blood work done, and they would have told me if I was low. Plus, I can physically FEEL it when my iron is depleted.
I would be careful relying solely on supplements for vitamins and other things that may be missing from your diet. There is a lot of new research showing that when you separate the nutrient from the whole food, it doesn't have the same effect. So I would recommend sticking to food that contain the things that other people have suggested- versus getting bottles of pills to supplement your diet.
That's very true but there are things (B12, Vitamin D, and DHA for example) that are near-impossible to get from a vegan diet. In these cases supplementation can be very important.
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and doing light exercising like walking is very helpful, especially right after a surgery. good luck!
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If you're bruising easily you may want to up the iron intake. I'm pregnant and my iron was dropping, so I added a tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses each day, washed down with a glass of OJ because Vitamin C greatly increases iron absorption.
As far as foods to add, I'd say greens greens greens! They are so full of good stuff (including iron) and I always feel healthier and stronger when I'm including a big dose of dark leafy greens in my diet.
Luck!
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I really appreciate your help!
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So I would recommend sticking to food that contain the things that other people have suggested- versus getting bottles of pills to supplement your diet.
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Mainly, I wanted just what I got--information on what I can do to make sure my healing process is good after my surgery.
Thanks!
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