Strengthen your immune system naturally

Prevent colds and flu in winter with these top immune-boosting tips.

(Q) I haven't had a cold or flu this winter yet (thank goodness) but on the train everyday commuters are coughing all over the place and my colleagues are coming into work sick. I really don't want to get a cold and can't afford to take any time off if I do. What would you suggest I do to boost my immune system as my Echinacea vitamins were ineffective last year?

(A) The best thing you can do to protect yourself from colds and flu this winter is to strengthen your immune system naturally with immune-boosting foods and nutritional supplements.

Raw garlic in the diet is very beneficial, however cooking garlic can destroy some of its health-promoting compounds. One way to get around this problem is to take Kyolic aged garlic extract. The natural ageing process increases antioxidant levels and enhances garlic's immune boosting powers. It also has the added benefit of being odourless.

Vitamin C is an extremely important nutrient for boosting immunity. Include plenty of foods high in vitamin C in the diet, including fresh fruits and vegies, especially citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage and parsley. A vitamin C supplement is also recommended to ward off colds and flu, take around 2-3 g a day.

Zinc is another important mineral needed for healthy immune function. Zinc is found in foods such as red meat, chicken, fish, dairy foods, eggs, legumes and sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Taking a zinc supplement is also beneficial, around 45mg a day.

Spirulina is a type of sea algae that is considered a superfood due to its extraordinary health-promoting elements. Spirulina can stimulate immune function; it's anti-cancerous and rich in nutrients such as iron and selenium which act as powerful antioxidants in the body. Spirulina can be taken in capsule or tablet form (around 5g day, or add a teaspoon of powder to smoothies or juice).

More great immune-boosting foods that should be included in the diet include miso, ginger, garlic, onion, yoghurt, green tea and seaweed.

There are some key herbs that naturopaths and herbalists commonly use to strengthen the immune system and offer protection against colds and flu, including astragalus, andrographis, Echinacea and olive leaf.

A good healthy diet is fundamental to good health and a strong immune system. A majority of your diet should be made up of unprocessed, natural foods such as fresh fruits, vegies, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.

Having a well-balanced diet will supply you with all the essential nutrients your body needs for a healthy immune system such as zinc, vitamin A and C, selenium and iron.

Pomegranate for antioxidant power

Find out why the pomegranate is the king of antioxidants and what it can do for your health.

The luscious pomegranate originated in Persia and is now widely grown in China, India and here in Australia. Slice through the thin skin and you'll find ruby-coloured segments dripping with sweet juice.

Pomegranates are also a symbol of fertility and abundance and are sacred in many religions. They are referred to in the Koran as one of the fruits that grow in the garden of paradise.

Traditionally used to treat diarrhoea and intestinal parasites, pomegranates contain vitamin C and have exceptionally high levels of the polyphenol ellagitannin, a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Studies have found pomegranates reduce atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a factor in heart disease, as well as increasing the liver's ability to detoxify free radicals.

Grapefruit can help weight loss

Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, lycopene and fibre, grapefruit also detoxifies and can help you lose weight.

Grapefruit, with its bitter sweetness, is a popular citrus fruit commonly eaten for breakfast to help kickstart digestion and aid in weight loss. This refreshing fruit could also hold the key to treating conditions such as high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Massachusetts General Hospital have recently found that naringenin, an antioxidant derived from bitter-flavoured grapefruit and other citrus fruits, may cause the liver to break down fat while increasing insulin sensitivity, mimicking the actions of lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic drugs. Naringenin may also protect against liver damage.

Grapefruit is also a good source of vitamins C and A, which help strengthen immune function. It is also a rich source of the soluble fibre, pectin, which helps to lower cholesterol levels. The rich pink and red colour of grapefruit is given by lycopene, a phytochemical with powerful antioxidant properties, which helps fight free radical damage in the body. Lycopene, also found in tomatoes, is known for its ability to lower the risk of prostate cancer. Choose fully ripe grapefruit as they have the highest levels of antioxidants.

Grapefruit juice significantly increases the production and activity of liver detoxification enzymes responsible for preparing toxic compounds, including cancer-causing carcinogens, for elimination from the body. Grapefruit also contains phytonutrients called limonoids that have anti-tumour activity. The citric acid present in fresh grapefruit juice also increases alkalinity in the body, which can be useful for treating diseases caused by too much acid.

Celebrity diet fads

We investigate the dietary fads of Hollywood's rich and famous.

The pressure in Hollywood to stay slim and keep beautiful may have caught up with Gwyneth Paltrow. The 37-year-old actress followed a macrobiotic diet for 11 years but was recently diagnosed with osteopenia, an illness that can lead to the serious bone disease osteoporosis. "I suffered a pretty severe tibial plateau fracture a few years ago (requiring surgery) which led the orthopaedic surgeon to give me a bone scan, at which point it was discovered I had the beginning stages of osteopenia," she wrote on her popular online newsletter, Goop.

Osteoporosis, a common ailment among the elderly, increases a person's risk of fractures and is more prevalent among women. ''My doctors tested my vitamin D levels, which turned out to be the lowest thing they had ever seen," Paltrow said. Tania Ferraretto, an accredited practising dietitian for Nutrition Professionals Australia in Adelaide, says fad diets or extreme weight loss diets are not healthy. "You might lose weight in the short-term, but rapid weight loss diets are very unsuccessful at achieving long-term weight loss. "Often fad diets eliminate important foods and important nutrients - they are not designed to keep you healthy, they are designed for rapid weight loss, so they do put people at risk nutritionally, and as a result we often see quite severe health effects."

These effects can range from fatigue or constipation through to more serious health risks like heart disease or osteoporosis. Long-term dieters may notice dry skin and nails and hair may even start falling out, and those who lose weight too quickly may have a heart attack.

Zone diet

The diet: A formula made famous in books by US biochemist Barry Sears. It advocates consuming kilojoules from carbohydrates, protein and fat in a "40:30:30" ratio of kilojoules obtained daily from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, respectively. According to Sears, this ratio of fats helps dieters' hormones stay within a healthy zone.

The dangers: "This is quite a strict, formula-based diet however it's probably one of the better fad diets, because it still allows for carbohydrates. It does have more protein than most Australians would generally eat. There is no magic formula that will make you lose weight like this diet suggests, and some people's diets work better having less carbs and more protein," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Constipation, bad breath, stomach cramps, nausea.

The followers: Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger.

Lemon detox diet

The diet: It comes under many guises but is meant to release the body of poisonous toxins. While on the plan, the dieter only consumes six to 10 drinks a day, which consist of lemon, tree syrup, cayenne pepper, salt, herbal tea and water.

The dangers: "You don't eat food for a week to 10 days. It's a fast and makes you sick. People feel absolutely awful and it's so unnecessary - it's dangerous to starve your body like that. Beyond anything else, your metabolism completely slows down," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Low concentration, failing digestive system, cravings, fat gain.

The followers: Beyonce, Tania Zaetta.

Five-factor diet

The diet: A five-week plan that involves eating five meals a day, with five ingredients per meal (but must include protein, good fats, healthy carbs, fibre and a sugar-free drink). Dieters must exercise for at least 25 minutes, fives times a week. One "cheat day" is allowed, where dieters can eat whatever they like.

The dangers: "The problem with this diet is there are just more rules to follow, with people controlling how much they eat and increasing their exercise. At the end of the day, if you eat a bit less and exercise more you are going to lose weight, but it's about doing it in a way that's right for you. There is no need for this 'five' of each thing rule, there is nothing magical about this number," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Depends on the types of foods a person chooses to eat, but may lead to irrational or dangerous attitudes to food.

The followers: Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keyes, Eva Mendez.

The baby food diet

The diet: Created by US celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, the diet involves eating 14 servings of baby food a day followed by a healthy adult dinner.

The dangers: "There is nothing logical about this diet. Babies have a strict introduction schedule for food so their digestive systems get used to food at different ages. Baby food is for babies because they don't need to eat as much as adults, so deficiencies could arise, especially in iron, zinc and calcium. Babies also drink milk, which is not included in this diet," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Fatigue,iron deficiency.

The follower: Reese Witherspoon.

Meal replacement diets

The diet: From cookies to shakes to bars, there are many meal replacement diets in the marketplace. They are designed to replace normal meals, meaning the dieter has a controlled kilojoule intake without having to count the kilojoules of each meal.

The dangers: "There are some that have been medically proven to be effective, but they need to be supervised. We sometimes use them for pre-surgery or pre-gastric banding for obese people. They have a role, but you need medical supervision. They are nutritionally balanced, but some people would much rather have a low-kilojoule food diet than have to survive on shakes and bars. We don't recommend anyone uses these diets for more than 12 weeks," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Irrational or dangerous attitudes towards food, nutrient deficiency, irritable bowel or constipation.

The follower: Kim Kardashian.

Raw food diet

The diet: It involves eating 75 per cent uncooked food, because it's believed cooking destroys the enzymes that help with digestion. Foods include fruit, vegetables, seeds, legumes, dried fruits, nuts, seaweed and mineral water.

The dangers: "There is no need to eat raw food. If you like it, then great, but you don't need to. If you were eating enough nuts and legumes your iron intake would be reasonable, but you wouldn't get enough calcium. It's very difficult to eat a balanced diet on this one," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Nutrient deficiency, general fatigue over time, osteoporosis.

The follower: Demi Moore.

Cabbage soup diet

The diet: It involves eating a soup of cabbage, peppers, onions and celery for seven days.

The dangers: "This diet eliminates important foods and nutrients, especially calcium, iron, zinc and B vitamins. People lose weight because they eat less kilojoules, not because of the soup. It is very unsustainable and potentially dangerous in the long term.

Possible side effects: Feeling unwell, bloating, weight gain in the long-term.

The follower: Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Macrobiotic diet

The diet: While its origins lie in Japan with incremental steps that ended with eating only brown rice and water, the modern-day version of this diet includes fruit, vegies, whole grains and soy products. The key is high fibre and low fat and it limits or avoids animal foods. It emphasises wholegrains, and these should make up 60 per cent of most meals (foods like barley, brown rice and rye). Added to this are plenty of vegetables, some raw and some cooked. Fish or seafood is allowed twice a week.

The dangers: "This diet is low in calcium, iron, protein, magnesium and zinc and will produce low energy levels over time. It is also quite restrictive," Ferraretto says.

Possible side effects: Iron deficiency, anaemia and osteoporosis.

The followers: Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Joe Pesci.

Miranda Kerr's dieting tips

Model Miranda Kerr tells why she believes the blood type diet is best for her.

She has been blessed with more than her fair share of good looks, but Australian model Miranda Kerr says following the blood-type diet is the key to maintaining her lean, healthy physique.

Before Kerr captured the attention of the modelling world, the Gunnedah, NSW-born beauty had her sights set on a career in nutrition. She had even enrolled at the Academy of Natural Living in Queensland to study nutrition and health psychology.

The 26-year-old started following the blood-type eating plan six years ago after her naturopath gave her the book, Eat Right 4 Your Type (Putnam) by Peter D'Adamo. "It made a lot of sense to me so I started following the recommended eating plan and I just found I had so much more energy than I'd ever had; I was feeling really great," she says.

According to naturopathic physician D'Adamo, the diet is based on the premise that certain foods are more compatible with particular blood types.
The diet's celebrity followers include Demi Moore, Elizabeth Hurley and Courteney Cox Arquette.

People with type-O blood, which D'Adamo claims is the earliest human blood group, are said to benefit from a diet similar to the first humans, who ate a protein-rich diet, while type-B adults should stay away from wheat and chicken. The diet recommends AB blood types should eat small meals frequently and be aware of combining their food correctly.

Kerr, who has type-A blood, follows the book's recommended vegetarian-based diet, which is high in organic vegetables, fresh juices and legumes. Despite her hectic schedule, which involves regular air travel and long days, the Victoria's Secret model says her diet and exercise regime is easy to follow and says she carries healthy snacks wherever she goes.

"Some of my favourite snacks are organic almonds and blueberries, half an avocado with sea salt, and I also love eating Fuji apple pieces with almond butter and agave - it feels like a treat but it's really good for you," she says.

Kerr, a Nichiren Buddhist (a Japanese school of Buddhism), who meditates and practises yoga regularly, says low-impact, calming exercise is also recommended for people with an A blood type.

"I practise yoga daily; I do half an hour in the morning plus half an hour of meditation," she says. "Dedication is key for me because with my constant travel schedule I find it very grounding and energising."

The blood-type diet is viewed with scepticism by the medical fraternity. "There is no scientific link between your blood type and what you should be eating," says Sharon Natoli, dietitian and director of Food & Nutrition Australia. Natoli says the diet is not recommended as a long-term eating plan as entire food groups are missing from some of its blood-group meal plans.

Tara Diversi, spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, says people with Kerr's blood type who are following the vegetarian-based A-type diet need to ensure they are eating plenty of protein- and calcium-rich foods, as well as legumes and grains, which are high in amino acids.

While Kerr follows the diet closely, the David Jones model says she occasionally indulges. Her weaknesses include dark chocolate Lindt balls and her nana's steak pie. "I believe in a balanced life - it's not about depriving yourself - so I eat 80 per cent organic, nutrient-rich foods and 20 per cent indulgence foods," she says.

Another important part of Kerr's diet is noni juice, which she says helps her combat everything from pimples to jetlag. "Whenever I've been sunburnt or had a pimple I'd soak a cotton ball in it and place it on my skin and it would be really soothing," she says.

Kerr is such an advocate of the juice that it has become a core component of her new skincare range, Kora. Kerr has worked on the range, which has been produced in Australia, for the past three-and-a-half years. "Noni juice is scientifically proven to heal on a cellular level and it's also beneficial for skin health," she says. "It just made sense to have it as a key ingredient in my products."

The Kora range is available at David Jones.

What the stars really eat

Chef Kate McAloon lets us in on the food secrets of her celebrity clients

Chef Kate McAloon is the healthy-choice chef for several A-list celebrities, including Miranda Kerr and husband Orlando Bloom, Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Chris Martin, Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, Meg Ryan, Sheryl Crow, Courteney Cox and David Arquette.

McAloon is the woman behind the food served at their Hollywood dinner parties and Sunday soirees, as well as the dishes on their dinner tables at family meal times.

"We are all here to live and food is one of the greatest joys in our lives if we let it be," McAloon says.

So what is it about her food that makes it so special? McAloon says: "It's always healthy and clean, but it's the flavour that distinguishes my food and I get it from using a ton of fresh herbs and spices."

Here's what the Seattle-born chef had to say about the eating habits of some of the world's most powerful celebrities.

Crazy Sexy Diet

The Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr is a low-glycaemic vegetarian program that emphasizes balancing the pH of the body with whole and raw foods, organic green drinks and smoothies.

The Crazy Sexy Diet works because increasing the amount of raw foods and green smoothies in your diet while decreasing sugars, starches and animal products makes the pH level of the body shift from acidic to alkaline.

Our nutritionist Lisa Guy says...

"Made up of lovely whole and raw foods which help keep the body in an alkaline state. I really love that this diet encourages you to drink green juices and smoothies, which are super rich in nutrients and an excellent addition to anyone&rsquos diet."

What can I eat on the Crazy Sexy Diet?

The diet encourages the following of a raw vegan or vegetarian diet. The Diet also incorporates green juices and smoothies as part of an internal cleanse.

Foods to avoid?

This diet advocates eating no or at least less meat and eliminating refined sugar completely.