Immunity Boosting Foods...Served Up for Your Health!

With the change in seasons it seems our immune system is more vulnerable to allergies, colds and flu, especially in the fall. There are actually a number of studies that show how there are more virus present during the change of seasons and that drops in temperature do make us immune compromised. 

For instance, Yale University found a seven-degree drop in ambient temperature negatively influences your body’s ability to stop cold viruses from proliferating. Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine explains, “Every time we’re exposed to infections, we try to counter this by secreting interferons, which are important for blocking viruses. We found that if you reduce temperatures from 37 to 33 degrees Celsius—98.6 degrees to 91.4 degrees in Fahrenheit—that change can dampen immune response and allow viruses to replicate more.” 

Understanding that our vulnerability is real may encourage us to go get a flu shot but what are the other ways we can boost our immune system to fight off the cold and flu? This is especially important if we are combatting diseases like cancer, heart failure, and diabetes. What we eat and drink as well as the exercise we plan in our day and the sleep we get at night can all play a part in keeping our immune system strong.

There are certain foods and spices that are known to boost our immune systems. For instance, in the fall we can enjoy cooking seasonal vegetables that bolster our ability to fight off the cold and flu and help us live as our healthiest selves.

The family of vegetables known as “cruciferous” vegetables, named because of the shape of their flowers, have compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates that help reduce inflammation and prevent DNA damage, both critical for keeping us healthy. This group of vegetables includes: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts, collards, watercress and radishes. Incorporating these into your fall menus is an easy way to combat seasonal illnesses. Here are some recipes from the Live Vibrant blog that should help inspire you:

Broccoli Salad recipe

Kale Wilted Salad recipe 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza recipe

Brussels Sprouts Roasted

Eggs are also known to help us fight off infections and specifically fight cancer. Eggs have choline, which reduces breast cancer risk. The good news is that eggs are back on the “okay to eat” list. It is so easy to add eggs into our diet from eating hardboiled eggs as a snack, frying an egg to top a salad or include in Sandwich. Our favorite use of eggs is in egg salads and frittatas. Below are a few recipes we wanted to share:

Classic Egg Salad

Tunafish Salad with Hard Boiled Egg

Egg Cups

Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Egg

Mediterranean-Style Frittata

Spinach Mushroom and Feta Frittata

Another great way to boost our immune system is to drink tea. Chai Teas are known to be infused with a variety of herbs and spices that not only warm our hearts but also fortify our bodies. Consider making your own home made chai tea and then take the time to savor the moment. You deserve it! Here is my version of Chai Tea (served up in a Vivente mug, of course!) that is easy to make and tasty to drink:

Chai Tea recipe

Enjoy! And Live vibrant!

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Beat Cancer by Eating Healthy and Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Most of us are aware of how important it is to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle. We know it makes us feel better, have extra energy and enjoy life more. Commonly known is our need to manage our weight in order to lower our risk for heart disease and diabetes. What is less known is the impact our diet has on our risk for cancer, particularly those cancers that are categorized as obesity-related cancers. Woman who are obese, for example, have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, particularly post-menopause. Not only does a healthy diet help prevent breast cancer, it can also improve our survival rate once diagnosed.

Additionally, recent studies indicate that a healthy diet and weight management not only prevent incidence of breast cancer, improve our survival rate once diagnosed, but will also lower the risk of its recurrence. It is amazing to think how much power what we eat and how much we eat can have on our health. Looked at another way, we have the ability to make what we eat a positive tool for our health.

So the question is, beyond eating a balanced diet in right-sized portions, are there foods that are specifically beneficial for those who want to lower their risk of breast cancer? There are. Research shows that eating a plant-based diet and limiting alcohol consumption does reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. There are specific foods that have been shown to have a positive effect, too.

Eating foods rich in carotenoids is an example of a specific category of foods that has been shown to reduce risk of breast cancer recurrence. Carotenoids are the natural pigments found in yellow and orange foods (such as carrots, sweet potatoes and squash) and dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach and Swiss chard.

Many of us are aware that eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids has been linked to improving heart health yet how many of us are also aware it can improve breast cancer prognosis? Salmon, haddock, cod, halibut and sardines are the best sources for omega-3.

A high-fiber diet is associated with lower overall mortality in breast cancer patients. Beans and whole grains are an ideal source of fiber. You can’t beat a bowl of oatmeal at breakfast for a great source of fiber and to help you feel full through out your morning which helps us with weight management.

Omega-3 fatty acids, high-fiber diets and carotenoids can all help prevent breast cancer.

The more we learn about disease the more it has become apparent that it is primarily linked to what we eat and our overall lifestyle. The good news is we have the power to do something about it. It is possible to eat healthier and live a healthier life. Every time we make one change, like adopting a meatless Monday meal or eating whole grain cereal for breakfast we are significantly reducing our risk for disease. And, as I have found, I really love the foods and variety I have tried because of wanting to be as healthy as I can be. Have to’s can definitely become want to’s…we just have to give ourselves a chance to make that discovery.

And remember, the greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of health!

More about LivSpoons.

Searching for healthy recipes? Check out the recipes on this Livliga Live Vibrant blog.

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Book Review: Back in the Swing Cookbook

Most all of us can look back on our lives and see times when dramatic events have occurred that have felt like a punch to the stomach or have “knocked our socks off." During those times we endure, take each day one at a time and long for what is “normal” and when we can feel “back in the swing” of our lives. This is particularly true for those who face major illness, like breast cancer.



Two wonderful women, Barbara C. Unell and Judith Fertig, who understand personally the longing and challenge of getting “back in the swing” of things, put together a cookbook to help breast cancer survivors with the process of embracing life after treatment in order to find their new “normal." Their cookbook is The Back in the Swing Cookbook: Recipes for Eating and Living Well Every Day After Breast Cancer.


I had the pleasure of working with these women when we launched our healthy lifestyle tableware company, Livliga®, in Kansas City three years ago. One of the weekend-long events we had as part of the launch was a luncheon. The food was served on Livliga® dinnerware and the recipes came from the Back in the Swing Cookbook. Judith Fertig is the chef who designed the recipes to be healthy and with ingredients particularly supportive of the health of breast cancer survivors. The food served at the lunch from this cookbook was delicious and perhaps as important, visually appealing. I experienced first hand the benefits of this thoughtful cookbook. 





Livliga® dinnerware can make a recipe shine, by adding some extra visual appeal to healthy meals.

The cookbook is packed full of goodness. And it is not all about recipes. It is about how to live and embrace a healthy life, including the foods to eat, insights from survivors, health news, and ways we can help ourselves live a healthier and happier life. For instance, throughout the book there are sections called “Treat of the Day”. Each of these sections highlights a specific way you can help yourself feel better and be happier and the scientific reason behind it.  One section gives you “Scientific Reasons to Watch a Funny Movie” and then shares some of the American Film Institutes top 100 funniest American films.  A few from the list are Tootsie, Singin’ in the Rain, A Fish Called Wanda and When Harry Met Sally.


The core of the cookbook is its recipes. The recipes highlight ingredients that are proven to be good for our health, healing, our immune system and for preventing disease and the re-occurrence of disease. Although the focus is clearly for the breast cancer survivor the approach and recipes are relevant and good for us all.


There is a real flare to this cookbook. It entices us with internationally based recipes imbued with herbs and spices that wake up our senses (Asian Chicken Salad with Fresh Ginger Vinaigrette). Back in the Swing also takes classics and adds an upgrade of healthier ingredients that satisfy our taste buds while warming our hearts (Celebration Chocolate Cake includes a filling with pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg).


In this era when we are busy and find it hard to spend time in the kitchen, this cookbook makes it easy to cook. The recipes are made up of accessible ingredients and are simple to assemble. The best part is how the recipes taste and look.  If you want to embrace a healthier lifestyle this cookbook is a great place to start.


My personally adage is: The greatest gift we can give ourselves and the ones we love is the gift of health. The Back in the Swing Cookbook is a perfect way to give this gift.








#breastcancerawareness

#womenshealth

#healthyeating

#backintheswing 



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Finding Inspiration and Sharing it

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There is not a person among us who has not been personally affected by breast cancer or knows someone close to them who has battled this all too prevalent disease. Many of us know a number of women who have faced this disease. Some lost their lives. Thinking about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month brings back a whole host of memories.

The first person I ever knew to have breast cancer was my best friend’s mother. That was some 55 years ago. It was hush-hush. No one was supposed to know. She faced a mastectomy, chemotherapy and recovery in silence and alone. She survived and is still alive today.  Her life is an inspiring story, but only to the few of us who know about it.

Thank goodness the world has become much more open about acknowledging and sharing the reality of breast cancer. We can talk about it now and name it. We follow the very public stories of famous people like Angelina Jolie and Amy Robach who have faced the disease and shared their journeys. We can openly give our love and support to those who are diagnosed and on the journey of life with breast cancer and celebrate the good news offered by survivors.   

What is evident to me is how we all cherish the life lessons we are given from the ones we know who have been diagnosed and live with cancer. We learn how precious life is and how it is to be celebrated. We understand that we all thrive on inspiration whether it be from observing the lives of the ones with cancer, from the stories they share, the poetry they write or is written as a result of their inspiration.

There is such an amazing sisterhood surrounding the community of breast cancer survivors thanks in big part to organizations like Susan G. Komen focused on saving lives and finding the cure for breast cancer.

It doesn’t mean it is easy or that you don’t feel alone when you first find out you have the disease. What is important is to know there are a whole host of resources, a community of support and so many people who get it and are willing to help others on the journey.

Some days, though, we don’t want to be the inspiring story or to be the big support for others. We’re the ones who need to be inspired and gain renewed energy from it. We need to find the inspiration and then share it.

As someone who lost a mom to cancer I personally know the need for renewing the spirit and finding inspiration. Words can have such a profound affect on us. Seeing words of comfort, motivation and aspiration can truly help us to feel good and keep going. I so believe in this I did a crazy thing and created a whole line of dishware to help people feel better, eat well and savor every moment of life. It is called Celebrate: The Poetry of Life.

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all of us who share in the reality of this disease let me share a cup of tea and a little Celebrate inspiration.

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