dumb question about fruit and immune system

I tend to get sick a lot. Always have. My colds last a long time too. A few months ago I got into eating several pieces of fruit a day and found for the first time in my life I fought off colds while all around me got them. And when I got them they only lasted a couple of days instead of weeks and were not as severe.

So, what did I do? I fell out of the habit and am now missing work again with the 3rd severe cold in the last couple of months! DOH! I am miserably sick and have no one but myself to blame. So, as soon as I can get up and about, I am going to the farmer's market and getting back in the habit of eating 2 to 3 pieces of fruit a day.

What exactly is it about fruit in particular that boosts the immune system?

I know it is a dumb question sorry , but I really have no idea. I mean it was like taking a miracle pill or something the difference it made. I can tell now that I was idiotic enough to test it by stopping.

And to prevent me from asking more questions like this, can anyone recommend a good all around nutrition 101 type book? I could look at my work, but trust you all to know what a good one would be. Otherwise, I will have to sort through a bunch of outdated and pop-culture style ones.

- aaradia

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I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

Vitamin C

Also, natural sugars (fructose e.g.) & fiber that your body doesn't have to struggle to process.

Also, enzymes that researchers think have positive interactions with your body's cells.

So, by eating fruit instead of candy, you're making digestion easier for the body and adding good things to it, therefore not stressing the body and by proxy, the immune system.

Nutrition 101 is thus (and the USDA really screwed up by abandoning it):

- Eat 3 meals a day.
- Each of which contains a protein, a carbohydrate, and a vegetable (preferably 2-3).
- Snack on fresh fruit.
- Eat more fresh food than processed.
- Chew every bite like your momma told ya.
- Have a glass of wine with dinner a couple times a week, because life is short.

There ya go, fast and free. Every good nutrition book builds from that formula. Bad nutrition books don't.

Honestly, if you try to follow that formula and completely avoid processed foods, you will have a hard time getting all the calories you need in a day.

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

I eat a pretty balanced diet, and I rarely get sick. Even on random days where I hardly eat anything, I ALWAYS drink a glass of (tropicana) Vitamin D and Calcium Enhanced orange juice. Stuff works wonders for immune systems. I have a friend who used to get sick all the time, anything someone around her would have, she would get.
She started drinking that because her Grandmother suggested it, and *poof* her immune system is crazy good.

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Well, Tropicana is better than a Coke and a kick in the butt, I guess. If it works for you, go for it.

But I classify off-the-shelf juices as "processed" so they would be out of a fresh food diet. OJ especially -- even the kind in the carton is squeezed, then boiled into a condensed goo, then flash-frozen, bulk packaged, sits in a freezer for weeks/months, is shipped to another packing facility, defrosted, boiled again, thinned with water, has the powdered vitamins stirred in, cools and is poured into the cartons. By the time it gets into your glass it is little more than fortified sugar water.

It would be better to drink plain water or tea. In fact, just drinking enough water can help your immune system. 8 glasses a day.

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

But water doesn't have nearly as many vitamins as other things. Correct?

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If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

True. It has no vitamins. (It may have some minerals but not necessarily ones we need.) But water is to the body what radiator fluid and oil are to your car: they keep everything cool, lubricated and operating smoothly.

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

True, but in your previous post, you suggested the good old V-C.

So aaradia, the verdict: Drink eight glasses of water a day, with a good vitamin c supplement.

__________________
If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

Sounds like a good verdict.



My Tropicana post is just to illustrate how difficult it is to really get "fresh" food.

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

Well, I completely understand where you're coming from.
Who knows, could just be the placibo effect. I think it works and strengthens the system, therefore, it does.

back to that visualization thing again, eh?

__________________
If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

I am pretty good about drinking water, except I have trouble drinking it when I am sick. I KNOW that's exactly when I should be sure to, but I just have trouble doing so when I am all full of mucous and hacking (ewwww)

But as for the vitamin C thing. It is interesting that I have dosed up on vitamin c supplements before and it has helped, but not as much as eating the fruit every day did. I guess that is because of the fresh is better than supplements thing, and because of the enzymes and other stuff SG mentioned as well.

I have also heard you are supposed to eat a variety every day of different colored fruits too. I think it is because they all have different uhhhh doh! something or others that are good for you? Oh jeez, I just realized I did this and have no real idea why! How embarrasing!

Thanks for the info though! I am still interested in a good basic book if anyone has any recommendations.

Bleah! gotta get over this! I am supposed to test for my green fringe in Tai-Chi on Tuesday. I can push through being sick, but don't want to get my push hands partner sick. That would be a fine way to repay someone for helping me in my test! I don't want to get points by coughing in his face! That would be rather rude!

I think the nyquil is making my postings even weirder than usual!
-aaradia

__________________
I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

“	Originally Posted By: aaradia I have also heard you are supposed to eat a variety every day of different colored fruits too. I think it is because they all have different uhhhh doh! something or others that are good for you? Oh jeez, I just realized I did this and have no real idea why! How embarrasing!	”

Different fruits have different properties, yes.
Banana's are supposedly the BEST fruit to eat though. I'm not sure why, it's just supposed to be the best.

So then, if you want freshness, just eat an orange a day. That'll give you that V/c that you want/need, minus the powder and such.

__________________
If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can't be solved.

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl Vitamin C Also, natural sugars (fructose e.g.) & fiber that your body doesn't have to struggle to process. Also, enzymes that researchers think have positive interactions with your body's cells. So, by eating fruit instead of candy, you're making digestion easier for the body and adding good things to it, therefore not stressing the body and by proxy, the immune system. Nutrition 101 is thus (and the USDA really screwed up by abandoning it): - Eat 3 meals a day. - Each of which contains a protein, a carbohydrate, and a vegetable (preferably 2-3). - Snack on fresh fruit. - Eat more fresh food than processed. - Chew every bite like your momma told ya. - Have a glass of wine with dinner a couple times a week, because life is short. There ya go, fast and free. Every good nutrition book builds from that formula. Bad nutrition books don't. Honestly, if you try to follow that formula and completely avoid processed foods, you will have a hard time getting all the calories you need in a day.	”

Good post, fresh fruit also has antioxidants, which clear out the bad in the body and fight infection/illness.
Green tea is better for this, whenever I get a cold or other, I drink a few cups of green or white tea(10x the antioxidants of green) and it clears up fairly quickly.

“	Seh Banana's are supposedly the BEST fruit to eat though. I'm not sure why, it's just supposed to be the best.	”

Potassium is why, it's an important thing for the body to function properly.

“	aaradia And to prevent me from asking more questions like this, can anyone recommend a good all around nutrition 101 type book?	”

Other than suggesting buying a current college text on the subject (can find them used on online book stores and get them cheap), not really sure what else is out there that is good on the subject, but you can check out the Gov. site on the subject, that might help



Nutrition.gov

“	I know it is a dumb question	”

It's not a dumb question. No one knows the answer.

Vitamin C is suspected to be part of it but that's like bananas (recomended to athletes because they help prevent muscle sorness and they're a good source of "good" carbs) and potassium - bananas work way better than taking potassium.

The colour stuff is fairly recent - dark greens and purples are supposed to be good - broccoli and blueberries for example.

Also, there is a massive drop in nutrients if stuff is stored for a while or even harvested out of season. One of the uk companies selling small plant pots of salad (still growing) did away with the "salad contains no nutrients" myth for ever with some independant testing of fresh picked, in season, plants.

In practice none of the "super foods" have been proved and all the nutritionists can tell you for certain is that a variety of plenty of fresh fruit and veg is better than not.

IMO you can go to books but they will all be faddy or outdated in some way. I was raised on Adelle Davis and the jungle camp cook book. The first was pretty influential in its day but now looks as dated as the second. The only real solution is to minimise processed ingredients, take an interest, take time over preparing and eating it, and find out what works best for you on any given day.

Oh, and a couple of glasses of wine a week is a miserly amount. A bottle a week is closer to normal and plenty of people knock back a bottle a night for decades with no visible ill effect

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“	Originally Posted By: john100 Oh, and a couple of glasses of wine a week is a miserly amount. A bottle a week is closer to normal and plenty of people knock back a bottle a night for decades with no visible ill effect	”

Darn drunken Englishmen...

It sux living in the U.S. when it comes to alcohol. My last doctor gave me a horrified look when he asked how much I drank a week and I told him I have a beer/wine with dinner about 2-3 times weekly.

I have a theory that Americans have been taught to be terrified of both alcohol and food. Most don't enjoy either; they just binge drink and stuff junk food down their faces like they're afraid to look at it. When you go travel around Europe and see how people take their time and just enjoy eating ... it's just a huge difference. We're only just beginning to appreciate the whole "slow food" idea over here.

__________________
"Pain can be a great teacher of compassion and humility."~ Unkotare-san

"Whatever the case, it proves that countless disasters can be prevented by simply assuming everyone you're working with is a moron." ~ Adam Brown, 5 Tiny Mistakes...

“	Originally Posted By: Sammygirl It would be better to drink plain water or tea. In fact, just drinking enough water can help your immune system. 8 glasses a day.	”

That is a 100% myth. There is no testing to suggest that this amount does anyone any good. It was started in 40's or 50's as part of a military diet plan (if memory serves me correctly). But it was recommended without any scientific data to back it up, almost arbitrarilly suggested. Since then this "recommendation" has become a health "fact". It was only recently that people questioned it and actually kept trying to find where this myth originated. It all led back to this one unsubstantiated document. 8 Glasses of Water is a lot of water...and it can actually do more harm than good by spiking blood pressure.

The best answer as far as fluids, and anything else really, is to listen to your body. It tells you if it needs something.

As for the cold thing...diet advice previously mentioned is pretty sound. But its common sense stuff. You have to keep your immune system operating at peak efficiency. Once you have a bug in you (which is part of immunizing yourself to the strand), don't neglect exercise as an option either. Even though we usually feel crappy when sick, light exercise has been proven to decrease cold symptoms.

The reasoning for that is pretty simple...blood flow. When you are lieing around on the couch with the sniffles, your body is in a low action state so blood flow is minimal. Exercising will increase blood flow and help flush out stagnate blood as well as promote blood flow to more parts of the body. This actually boosts your immune system. However, be warned that moderate to heavy exercise will result in a temporary decrease in your immune system, making the cold worse.

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