How to Support Your Immune System: Tips from Nutritionist Elena Garagulya
We spoke with nutritionist Elena Garagulya about how to support your immune system— which is especially important right now. After winter, the body is often depleted and more vulnerable. On top of that, ongoing stress and social tension can weaken immunity even further.
Here are the key takeaways:
What Weakens Immunity?
Sweets made with white sugar: cakes, pastries, candies, cookies, marshmallows, etc.
Baked goods made from refined white flour
Foods fried in sunflower oil: rich in Omega-6, it oxidizes during frying and produces free radicals that inflame the throat, stomach, and other mucous membranes
Ready-made sauces, including mayonnaise: contribute to inflammation, making it easier for infections to take hold
Eating sweets or sweet fruits right after protein-rich foods (meat, eggs, fish, cottage cheese, poultry)
Drinking tea, juice, or compote immediately after protein meals: this disrupts digestion by preventing proper breakdown and absorption of proteins
What Strengthens Immunity?
Drinking water or herbal/berry tea before meals
Foods high in Omega-3: cold-water fish (like herring and mackerel), pine nuts, cold-pressed pine nut oil, hemp and flax seeds, avocado
Seasonal salads with raw vegetables, root vegetables, garlic, onions, horseradish, or mustard: help stimulate gut health
Berries (fresh or frozen): packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and pectin to cleanse the intestines
Bran: a rich source of fiber, zinc, iron, B vitamins, and protein that supports digestion.
Managing Stress and Immunity
Stress is a major factor in weakening the immune system. Here’s how to support your body during high-stress periods:
Drink herbal teas in the evening using calming herbs like mint, thyme, oregano, or lemon balm. This also helps with digestion.
Eat more zinc-rich foods: pine nuts, cocoa, pumpkin seeds, sesame, wheat bran, pistachios, eggs, blueberries. Stress increases the body’s demand for zinc.
Include honey in your routine: a spoonful of natural honey aids digestion, supports immunity, and helps you relax—especially with herbal tea.
The Immune System Needs Protein
Proteins are the foundation of the immune system. Antibodies, interferons, and other defense mechanisms rely on them. A lack of protein weakens your body’s ability to fight off illness.
Key protein sources:
Meat, fish, eggs, legumes, and cottage cheese
Nuts, seeds, and their products (cake, urbech, kozinaki)
Cheese, yogurt, quinoa, buckwheat, whole grains, mushrooms, soy, and even broccoli
Find the protein sources you enjoy most—they’ll be absorbed better if your body welcomes them. Pine nuts and cedar cake are especially beneficial.
Immune-Supporting Products from megrellc.com
Cedar cake: A top source of zinc and magnesium, plus iodine, iron, and quality protein – in the form of chocolate bars and bonbons
Cedar oil: One spoon before meals delivers a daily dose of Omega-3. During stress, take it before each meal.
Stay healthy,
Your “Megre LLC”
