Lower your weight and blood pressure, and boost your immune system with these four healthy nutrition tips

These four suggestions from US nutritionist and author Barbara Quinn can help shed weight and boost your immune system

From switching salt types to eating more avocados, these simple tips could make all the difference

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Multivitamins and supplements help boost your immunity, an important consideration during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 1:15pm, 11 Jan 2021Updated: 2:01pm, 11 Jan 2021

A new year is a chance to begin anew with what we’re putting in our mouths and on our plates. Registered US dietitian Barbara Quinn is especially excited about getting her weak body back in shape after recovering from foot surgery. Whatever your nutrition goals are this year, she offers four suggestions to help put you on a healthy track.

1. Consider a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement

Yes, this is controversial, as many studies have shown that multivitamins do not reduce one’s risk for heart disease, cancer or mental decline. In this age of Covid-19, however, a daily multivitamin supplement may give a needed boost to our immune system, according to researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

They found that older adults who took a multivitamin/mineral supplement for three months had higher levels of vitamin C and zinc – two of many nutrients needed for strong immunity – in their blood. And while these volunteers still reported the same amount of illness during this study, those who took the multivitamin/mineral supplement reported fewer symptoms that went away three days faster than the group that did not take the supplement.

Forget “easy solutions” to weight loss, such as diet pills. You just need to eat less and exercise more. Photo: Shutterstock

2. Don’t take short cuts to lose weight

As easy as it may sound to pop a few pills to “melt off the fat,” many over-the-counter supplements for weight loss can be dangerous, according to a new warning by the US Food and Drug Administration. This agency found nearly 50 products sold on sites including Amazon and eBay contain ingredients that pose a health risk. As boring as it sounds, leaving that extra portion on the plate and moving your body more – exercising – is still the best formula for losing weight.

3. Enjoy avocados

Yes, they are high in fat. But these creamy tree fruits are rich in healthful monounsaturated fat as well as numerous vitamins and minerals. They are also rich in dietary fibre, which enhances the growth of healthful bacteria in our guts.

A recent study at the University of Illinois found that the number and diversity of good microbes increased in overweight volunteers who added avocado to one meal a day. These “good bugs” also produced changes that may have improved their ability to lose weight. A reasonable serving is about a third of a medium avocado in place of other fat in your diet.

Change your salt from sodium to potassium to lower your blood pressure, says Quinn. Photo: Getty Images

4. Look for a new label of salt substitutes

Products formerly called potassium chloride can now be called “potassium salt” on food labels in the US. This, say experts, may help us understand that potassium chloride is a good substitute for sodium chloride or salt.