By Jeni Tackett, Let’s Move Quad Cities Nutrition Blogger

Disease prevention is a good reason to eat right and be physically active.

Many fad diets limit plant foods such as fruit, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, beans, and whole grains. Avoid the temptation to follow overly strict fad diets and instead fuel yourself with healthy, high fiber plant foods and be more physically active!

5 Tips for immune-boosting:

• If you like to snack, center your snack around a fruit or a vegetable. Examples include a bowl of fresh berries, apple slices or celery sticks with peanut butter, or sliced peppers with hummus.
• Pick whole grains such as 100% whole wheat bread, hamburger bun, English muffin, brown rice, wild rice, or whole wheat pasta.
• Eat fruit instead of drinking juice at breakfast. Whole fruits have fiber which is critical for colon health and your immune system. A delicious example is to include chopped apple with cinnamon in your oatmeal.
• Fill half of your plate at lunch and dinner with vegetables and/or fruits. You can have a large salad or steamed vegetables with your meal to increase the plant food in your diet and fill you up for weight control.
• Replace processed meats with fresh fish or meat. Processed meats like bacon, hotdogs, and lunch meats are associated with increased cancer risk and other diseases.

Another way to boost your immune system is to limit your intake of alcohol.

Women should limit drinks to 1 per day, and men should limit drinks to 2 per day.

Serving examples include 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of alcohol.

Think about your typical diet and what foods you can add (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds) or reduce (processed meats and alcohol) to improve your health!

Meet Jeni Tackett, Let’s Move Quad Cities Nutrition Blogger. Jeni is a registered and licensed dietitian for Rock Valley Health. Jeni counsels her clients on weight loss and nutrition. You can read Jeni’s bio and other blog posts by clicking here.