The importance of fruits and vegetables in winter - The Swazi Observer

Fruits and vegetables are important in delaying certain ailments in the body because they contain vitamins and minerals which boost the immune system, support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. Your immune system is what protects you from viral infections, and the foods you eat have a major impact on your immune system’s ability to fight off colds and flu. The reason that fruits and vegetables do a better job of keeping your immune system ready is because they also contain vitamins A and E, as well as the flavonoids that work along-side vitamin C to keep your immune system and your whole body healthy.

Vitamins and minerals:
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. It is better to get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you choose to take vitamin and mineral supplements, be aware that taking too much or taking them for too long can cause harmful effects; this is why it is important to avoid using vitamin and mineral supplements without the doctor’s advice.
Vitamins and minerals are said to be essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body. There is a fine line between getting enough of these nutrients (which is healthy) and getting too much (which can end up harming you). Eating a healthy diet remains the best way to get sufficient amounts of the vitamins and minerals you need.
Every day, your body produces skin, muscle and bone. It churns out rich red blood that carries nutrients and oxygen to remote outposts and  sends nerve signals sk ipping along thousands of miles of brain and body pathways. It also formulates chemical messengers that shuttle from one organ to another, issuing the instructions that help sustain your life. To do all this, your body requires some raw materials which include at least 30 vitamins, minerals, and dietary components that your body needs but cannot manufacture on its own in sufficient amounts. Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body; they help shore up bones, heal wounds, and bolster your immune system. They also convert food into energy and repair cellular damage. Vitamins and minerals are often called micronutrients because your body needs only tiny amounts of them. Yet failing to get even those small quantities virtually guarantees disease. Just as a lack of key micronutrients can cause substantial harm to your body, getting sufficient quantities can provide a substantial benefit.

The difference between vitamins and minerals
Although they are all considered micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ in basic ways. Vitamins are organic and can be broken down by heat, air, or acid. Minerals are inorganic and hold on to their chemical structure. This means the mineral in soil and water easily find their way into your body through the plants, fish, animals, and fluids you consume. It is difficult to get all vitamins from food and other sources into your body because cooking, storage and simple exposure to air can inactivate the vitamins.
It is worth noting that with age, there is an increased risk of developing illnesses, diseases, circulatory problems, joint flexibility loss and other health-related issues that may be postponed or even avoided by simply taking the right vitamins. In fact, with winter and the cold blast of harsh weather roaring in, the chance of catching either a cold or flu may seem an almost imminent fact for most people. Vitamins like Vitamin E and Vitamin C, known are powerful in boosting the immune system by neutralising free radicals that are harmful to the body and dramatically improve the chances of remaining healthy throughout the winter season and throughout the entire year. Vitamin E and Vitamin C are both extremely effective when it comes to staying healthy. However, a vitamin formulation, like Vitamin E with C, combines Vitamin E with Vitamin, creating a powerful antioxidant blend that work together together to improve the effectiveness of each as a whole. Vitamin C recycles used vitamin E in the body and restores its back into an active antioxidant. This means the body’s Vitamin E resources will not expire as quickly when combined with Vitamin C and that more antioxidants are available to fend off illness and disease for longer periods of time than either Vitamin E or Vitamin C would produce alone.
Most people tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables in the winter, which is the opposite of what you should be doing. Everyone needs at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day to get adequate vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants all things we need for a healthy immune system. One way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables is to incorporate juice into your diet, make sure you take 100% juice as other juice drinks contain extra sugar and empty calories. Ensure that fruits and vegetables are part of every meal. You can add berries or a sliced banana to your whole grain cereal at breakfast and drink a glass of orange or grapefruit juice. Pack a bunch of grapes or an apple with your sandwich for lunch, and top that sandwich with tomato slices, avocado, sprouts and lettuce. Start dinner off with a salad or vegetable soup, or serve a big salad as a healthy dinner. Keep a bowl of oranges, apples and pears on your counter top to grab as quick snacks. While you want to focus on increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat, don’t forget to choose other healthy foods to supply nutrients your immune system needs. A healthy balanced diet with lean meats, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds provides your body with all of the nutrients you need for general health.
Swaziland has a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year, I think it was God’s plan to provide citrus fruits in winter just to prepare the Swazi community to face winter problems. You must have a lemon for winter Lemons are rich in vitamin C while they also contain some magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Imagine how many homesteads have lemons within the yard without knowing that you are having a lot of nutrients around you.

How to use lemons in winter:
Perhaps the easiest way to get the lemon’s goodness into you is to drink the juice (mixed with water is the best way). A morning glass of water with the juice of a lemon will not only change your day but also, when sustained, change your life.
Lemon is also has diuretic properties which promote more effective elimination of wastes. This helps with many conditions caused by toxic build up such as arthritis, rheumatism.
Lemon is very effective in combating infections, especially in the throat as it also has antibacterial properties. For sore throat, dilute one-half with one-half water and Gargling with a 50/50 mixture of water and lemon juice frequently will get rid of many throat conditions swiftly.  
Lemon juice in warm (body-temperature) water relieves queasiness, heartburn, heartburn, bloating and gas. Your bowels work better and eliminate waste more efficiently eliminating constipation. Lemon’s blood purifiication an d liver tonic properties also help you digest more efficiently by helping your liver produce more bile.
Drinking lemon water helps you shed losing weight faster by reducing the desire to eat as well as helping to breakdown and eliminate body fat. It is good to use a lot of lemons in winter to avoid losing your natural shape and especially because they are easily available and cheap.
g Lemon water is wonderful in cases of flu, fever and colds.
g Lemon is a natural antiseptic which can quickly deal with dermatological problems and conditions. Lemon’s high vitamin C content vitalises your skin (as well as the rest of you) making it glow and enhancing your beauty. It is an ancient remedy for remove wrinkles and other signs of ageing.
g Lemon water can help with toothache; reduce bleeding of gums, mouth odors and other oral problems.
g Lemon’s high potassium content is a great help in normalising blood pressure and drinking it can also contribute to r educing stress and anxiety. Please note that this does not mean that you must stop taking your medication.
g Lemons can be taken by people of different blood type, there is also some research evidence that lemons can help in prevent some form of cancers. Please make use of the lemon throughout the winter season.