The foods you eat have a bigger effect on Staph and MRSA than you may realize. In fact, your diet could be the missing link that’s keeping you from a full recovery.
Making certain dietary changes was one of the three main things that turned my recurring Staph infections around nearly 10 years ago. I’ve heard from many other people with Staph and MRSA who have seen dramatic changes from changing the foods they eat too.
As important as treatments and remedies are, your diet plays a crucial and largely overlooked role in your recovery. While changing your diet is no miracle cure, it could easily tip the scales in your favor if you’ve been struggling with Staph or MRSA.
A healthy diet for infections
Now if you ask 10 experts what makes a ‘healthy’ diet, you’ll likely get 10 very different answers. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion, half-truth and misleading information in the health and wellness arena. What’s more, the word ‘healthy’ can mean very different things depending on what you’re trying to accomplish.
A ‘healthy’ diet for weight loss can be quite different than a ‘healthy diet’ for infections. When it comes to Staph and MRSA, counting calories or carbs is really not that important. Neither are food plans, diet fads or counting milligrams of minerals. What is more important are the actual ingredients inside the food and how the food is processed.
Food basics
The best foods for infections contain active plant substances called phytochemicals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Phytochemicals are natural compounds inside plants your body uses to make energy, maintain your immune system, and guard against infections and other illnesses. Phytochemicals and nutrients inside your food are the building blocks for your body to repair itself and build up its defenses against infections.
Basically, foods that contain the most nutrients and phytochemicals tend to be whole, raw foods. The foods with the least nutrients and beneficial ingredients are processed foods. What’s more, processed foods usually contain extra additives and chemicals that can actually be harmful.
Processed foods
90% of the foods on the supermarket shelves are processed and refined foods. These so-called foods come in nice boxes, cans, bags, and bottles and contain the cheapest ingredients and the most chemicals and preservatives. Importantly, processed foods are usually stripped of the phytochemicals and nutrients your body and immune system needs to heal and be healthy.
Processed foods make up what’s called the Standard American Diet (SAD). It truly is sad how much damage these foods can do over the years to your body and your health. These artificial and processed foods may be cheap, quick and tasty, but they lack the ingredients your body needs to work properly, heal itself and ward off infections.
Real foods
In contrast, real foods are minimally processed and contain few added chemicals, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors or added sugar. Real foods contain more vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients because the nutrients have not been stripped away through processing. Real foods have not been genetically modified (non-GMO) or exposed to excessive pesticides. Most importantly, real foods give your body the raw materials it needs to overcome infections, maintain a strong immune system and give you a longer and better quality of life.
Next week, I’ll share with you specific foods, ingredients and cooking methods that will help support your immune system and general health. You’ll also find out about foods that help fight infections and make your body inhospitable to infection-causing bacteria.
Be well,
Michelle
Microbiologist and Natural Health Expert
