Throughout the cold and flu season it's important to consider the immune system. While many people elect to have cold and flu shots, you can take a healthier, more natural approach and eat immune-building and rejuvenating foods.

Foods rich in antioxidants and zinc combined into hearty casseroles and soups will nurture and protect you against the threat of infection.

For as long as you are well and free of disease and can stick to an exercise program, you will continue to lose weight while so many others are gaining it.

Day one | Day two | Day three | Day four | Day five | Day six | Day seven

Day one

Breakfast

Porridge with walnuts and raisins: Bring 2 cups water to the boil with a pinch of sea salt, add 1 cup rolled oats and turn heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add ½ tsp cinnamon, 1/3 cup sultanas and ¼ cup chopped walnuts, stir to combine, cover and remove pan from heat. Let porridge stand for 5 minutes and serve with low fat skim milk and added fruit, such as sliced banana or kiwi.
1 mug tea with skim milk, no sugar

Morning snack

Sliced carrot and celery
3 tbsp low fat cottage cheese

Lunch

Salmon and rocket salad: Mix 1-2 cups rocket leaves with sliced cherry tomatoes, cucumber, diced capsicum, thinly sliced red onion and 6 black olives. Add 3 slices avocado, 1 small can red salmon and dress with 1 tbsp virgin olive oil mixed with 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1 clove minced garlic. Add 1 slice grainy toasted bread.

Tip: Don't pick out the small bones when using canned salmon — they're full of calcium and are soft and easy to eat.

Afternoon snack

30g raw nuts and seeds (such as almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and pepitas)
Note: Nuts and seeds are rich in antioxidant minerals selenium and zinc.

Dinner

Grilled chicken with chilli and ginger mushrooms:
150g grilled chicken breast (per person)
1 cup steamed bok choy (per person)
1 serve chilli and ginger mushrooms (recipe below)

Chilli and ginger mushrooms (recipe serves 4):
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp ginger, grated
400g button mushrooms
150g shitake mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
40ml sweet chilli sauce
8 shallots thinly sliced

1. Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil and heat until hot. Add ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
2. Add button mushrooms to wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute or until well coated with oil mixture.
3. Add sweet chilli sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until mushrooms are just tender. Remove from heat and add green onions. Toss well to combine.
4. Serve immediately with ½ cup of brown rice, grilled chicken and steamed bok choy.

Evening snack

Peppermint tea

Day two

Breakfast

2 eggs (poached, boiled or scrambled) on 1 slice soy and linseed bread, spread with 2 tsp tahini and add sliced tomato and baby spinach
1 mug tea with skim milk

Morning snack

1 green apple
8 raw almonds

Lunch

Tuna and brown rice salad: Mix ¾ cup cooked brown rice with 1 small can tuna, ¼ cup chopped parsley, sliced cucumber, 6 cherry tomatoes, red onion (chopped) and chopped carrot. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice and season well.

Note: Onions contain compounds that have antibiotic properties and serve as anti-inflammatory agents, helpful in reducing the severity of respiratory congestion and signs of the common cold.

Afternoon snack

Skim milk flat white
1 pear

Dinner

Grilled lamb cutlets with cauliflower and coconut mash and peas:
2 lamb cutlets (per person)
½ cup frozen peas (per person)
1 serve cauliflower and coconut mash (recipe below)

Cauliflower and Coconut Mash (recipe serves 4):
½ large cauliflower
¼ bunch mint leaves, chopped finely
½ cup coconut cream
½ lime juiced
½ tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste

Trim the cauliflower of all its outer leaves and cut into small pieces (5cm wide). Add cauliflower to a vegetable steamer and steam until tender (10-15 mins). In a food processor blend the cauliflower with the coconut flesh and lime juice, adding the coconut juice a little at a time until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and stir through the mint.

Evening snack

Chamomile tea

Day three

Breakfast

½ cup natural muesli with 1/3 cup plain low fat yoghurt, chopped orange and kiwi, sprinkled with cinnamon
1 mug tea with skim milk, no sugar

Note: Look for a yoghurt that contains live cultures, which benefit the digestive and immune system by supporting healthy bacteria in the gut.

Morning snack

3 corn thins topped with 1 tbsp tahini paste, sliced mushrooms and cracked black pepper.

Lunch

Grainy sprout and salad sandwich: Using dense grainy or sourdough bread, spread with avocado and fill with sprouts, grated carrot, sliced tomato, capers and 2 slices low fat cheese.

Note: Sprouts are rich in Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant. Look for alfalfa, mung bean, broccoli and chickpea sprouts, just to name a few.

Afternoon snack

30g raw nuts and dried fruit mix

Dinner

Tomato and bean soup

Evening snack

Green tea

Day four

Breakfast

Porridge with walnuts and raisins; add ½ banana
1 mug tea with skim milk, no sugar

Morning snack

Skim milk cappuccino

Lunch

Takeaway Japanese:
Miso soup
Seaweed salad
Mixed sushi and sashimi, approximately 8 pieces or 2 hand rolls (choose salmon, tuna and avocado)

Afternoon snack

1 large red apple
10 raw almonds

Dinner

Roast root vegetables and grilled steak:
160g grilled fillet steak
1 serve roasted root vegetables (directions below)

Roasted root vegetables (serves 4):

Heat the oven to 180°C. Pour 1½ tbsp of olive oil into a baking tray and place it in the oven to heat up. Remove from the oven and add:

8 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
350g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks approx 2½cm thick
1 Spanish onion, peeled and sliced
250g pumpkin, cut into pieces approx 5cm cubed
6 zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 cups rocket
2 tbsp capers, thoroughly rinsed

1. Toss the oil over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook for 35 minutes or until tender turning the vegetables occasionally.
3. When the vegetables are cooked, remove them from the oven and toss the rocket and capers through until the rocket leaves are evenly wilted and distributed through.
4. Serve with grilled steak.

Note: Garlic contains the compound allicin, which has been shown to be effective against influenza infections.

Evening snack

Peppermint tea

Day five

Breakfast

2 eggs (poached, boiled or scrambled) on 1 slice soy and linseed bread, spread with 2 tsp tahini and add sliced tomato and baby spinach
1 mug tea with skim milk

Morning snack

1 cup fruit salad with 2 tsp sunflower seeds

Lunch

Spicy lentil soup

Afternoon snack

1 tub (200g) low fat plain yoghurt with 1 tsp honey to sweeten

Dinner

Honey and miso salmon with Asian vegetables and brown rice (serves 4):
Miso is available from health food stores and the health section of the supermarket. Miso is a flavoursome paste made from fermented soy and grain. Being fermented is helps to strengthen in immune system.

2 tbsp mugi miso
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water
4 fillets salmon
2 bunches mixed Asian greens, (pak choy, bok choy, choy sum)
200 grams shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stalks removed
1 tbsp sesame oil

1. Pre heat the oven to 180°C
2. Score the fish lengthways through the thickest section of the fillets taking care not to cut straight through. Mix the mugi miso and honey into a smooth paste with water. Pour the marinade over the fish and leave for up to 1 hour.
3. Heat a well-oiled grill plate and cook the fillets for 2 minutes on each side, turning once only. Transfer to a baking tray and place in the oven for 7-10 minutes while the greens are being prepared.
4. Wash and trim the Asian greens. Heat the sesame oil in a wok and stir fry the shitake mushrooms for 1 minute. Add the greens and toss through. Add some water (about 2 tbsp) to the remaining marinade and stir it through the greens while they are cooking. Remove from the heat while the greens are still crisp and serve under the salmon fillets, with ½ cup brown rice.

Note: Omega 3 rich foods such as salmon contain EPA and DHA — fatty acids which serve as direct precursors for series 3 prostaglandins, compounds that are involved in the regulation of the immune system.

Evening snack

Peppermint tea

Day six

Breakfast

½ cup natural muesli with 1/3 cup plain low fat yoghurt, chopped orange and kiwi, sprinkled with cinnamon
1 mug tea with skim milk, no sugar

Morning snack

15 almonds
3 dried apricots

Lunch

Chicken and lentil salad: Mix ½ cup lentils (drained and rinsed of salt) with 100g chopped chicken breast, diced capsicum, celery and carrot and 1 tbsp capers. Dress with 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp red wine vinegar mixed with 1 clove minced garlic. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Afternoon snack

Skim milk cappuccino

Dinner

Homemade pizza with rocket, avocado and parmesan salad (serves 4):
8 single wholemeal pitta breads
8 tbsp tomato paste
8 cloves garlic, crushed
4 sliced fresh tomatoes
Pinch of chilli flakes, optional
4 tbsp chopped oregano and thyme
1 sliced capsicum
1 cup sliced kalamata olives
8 fresh bocconcini, sliced

Salad
4 cups rocket leaves
4 table grated parmesan
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to season

1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Lay the pizza ingredients on the kitchen counter and arrange them evenly on the pitta bases. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes.
2. Serve with rocket and parmesan salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic.

Evening snack

3 squares dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

Day seven

Breakfast

Porridge with walnuts and raisins
1 mug tea with skim milk, no sugar

Morning snack

3 corn thins topped with low fat cottage cheese and sliced tomato

Lunch

Open chicken sandwich: Top one slice toasted grainy bread with baby spinach, avocado, sliced chicken breast and grated carrot and cucumber, so it spills over the bread, needing a knife and fork to eat and enjoy.

Afternoon snack

Skim milk flat white
1 pear

Dinner

Caramelised onion, sage and caper omelette served with steamed broccoli and roasted slivered almonds:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, sliced
2 tbsp sage leaves chopped
½ tbsp capers rinsed
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and sage to gently sauté for 10 minutes. Toss through the capers and set aside.
2. Wipe the omelette pan with a little oil and heat gently. Beat the salt and pepper into the egg mixture and add the mixture to the pan. Gently ease the edges of the omelette away from the side of the pan to spread any uncooked mixture to the bottom of the pan to cook. Continue to do this until the top of the omelette is only slightly moist. Spoon the onion mixture over the top and fold the omelette in half.
3. Serve with a cup of steamed broccoli with 1 tbsp olive oil drizzled over the top and 1 tbsp roasted slivered almonds.

Evening snack

Peppermint tea

For further information about food and nutrition, visit Judy Davie's website at www.thefoodcoach.com.au