How To Radically Improve Your Diet in 2024

My secret sauce to stay healthy and happy

My best friend asked me the other day, “Hakima, how do you manage to stay so healthy when everyone around us is catching every bug in town during winter?”

I chuckled and spilled the beans on my not-so-secret secrets.

I’m sad to see people not living to their full potential because they have weak immune systems. And when you have a weak immune system, you age faster. Who wants to age faster?!

You are only as young as your immune system!

So here are my five secrets to stay healthy over the winter! Start implementing them now and you too, you have a healthy life!

#1: I consume functional mushrooms and fermented food

I discovered the power of functional mushrooms when living in Asia or Central America, and they have entirely changed my immune system!

Functional Mushrooms

Shiitake, Maitake, Chaga, and Lion’s Mane are four types of functional mushrooms proven to support the body’s immune response. They are excellent sources of nutrients and super easy to incorporate into your diet.

I enjoy adding mushroom powders to my meals or taking a drop or two a day of Lion’s Mane tincture. You can find some on Etsy or Amazon.

Fermented Food

I spent nine years of my life in Japan, where it is common to eat fermented food. It is no secret that Japanese people are in excellent health and live longer.

Start adding fermented food to your diet and take care of your gut now. Three-quarters of your immune system is in your gut. You can add kefir, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, miso, or yogurt to your meals.

Garlic

Finally, if you’re not intimidated by the after-taste, garlic is another natural immune booster. I love to cook my meals with garlic. I even tried to eat it raw once. Luckily, I didn’t have a lover to kiss after…

#2: I take some vitamin supplements

Fertility vitamins are amazing and they are for both, women and men; even when you don’t plan of conceiving!

Fertility vitamins contain all you need to boost your immune system:

• Vitamin B6 for hormonal activity regulation
• Zinc for normal fertility and reproduction
• Vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis, energy production, and central nervous system function
• Vitamin D for the normal function of the immune system
• Folic acid for normal tissue growth
• Magnesium for a reduction in inflammation.
• Vitamin E for the protection of cells from oxidative stress
• Vitamin C for producing good quality cells and immunity

These vitamins are essential for a healthy lifestyle, yet we prefer processed food low in vitamins!

If you want to avoid supplements, foods such as nuts, leafy greens, fish, and beans are high in magnesium.

Lemon, orange, pineapple, broccoli, and cauliflower are high in vitamin C. And the sun is a natural source of vitamin D.

Studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency leads to autoimmune diseases.

#3: I move my body daily

I love dancing because it allows me to move my body and release stress. I also enjoy working out, practicing yoga, and going for a walk or hikes.

When I exercise, I drink more water and as a matter of fact, good hydration improves the functioning of my lymph system. This is because when we exercise, we sweat, and sweat is the body’s way of eliminating toxins.

So go for a daily walk or adopt a dog to force you to go for a daily walk! You can also choose to do your chores or head to the gym to improve your immune system.

Here’s another trick: if you have kids, gift them a mini-trampoline and use it to increase your lymph flow. The G-forces created by rebounding get your lymph fluid flowing.

#4: I fast in the morning

I’ve always fasted in the morning for as long as I can remember.

I skip breakfast, and often, lunch is my first meal. Sometimes, I go a few days without eating, and I only drink water. It supports me in feeling lighter and improving my immune system.

I also love making my own immunity booster after fasting: I add half a teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of water with ginger and drink it straight.

Fasting supports immunity, the growth of new white blood cells and detoxifies the body. And if you don’t know how to fast, intermittent fasting can be a good start.

Do like me — skip breakfast or eat just one fruit and have your first meal at lunchtime. You can also do a more prolonged fast by quitting eating at sunrise. Just go to bed if you feel hungry and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and detoxify.

#5: I meditate regularly and practice gratitude daily

I have been laid off from my company in a very unprofessional manner last year. Yet, I haven’t stopped practicing gratitude. I remind myself that I’m alive and in good health. I remember that planet Earth is nourishing, and God always has my back.

For example, when I feel stressed, I meditate to slow down my mind. Meditation is good for the mind and helps strengthen the immune system, repairing skin, bones, and muscles.

Along with meditation, gratitude practice has many benefits. Studies show that people who practice gratitude report feeling healthier than those who don’t. Gratitude can lower cortisol levels by 25% too.

So once or twice a day, pause for 15 minutes and close your eyes. You don’t have to do anything, and if it helps, you can repeat the word “Love.” It will distract your brain from other thoughts and keep you focused. If you can only meditate at bedtime, turn off the light, put some music on and sit on your bed with your eyes closed for fifteen minutes.

You can also practice gratitude by having a gratitude journal and filling up half a page daily. List at least five things you’re grateful for.

Those are my secrets to staying healthy and never getting sick — it has never been so easy!

Yet, too many people rely on Western medicine to fix their immune systems when it is too late.

So quit that now and start applying my tips! You will thank me later!

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