March is Nutrition Month
Don’t forget- Worcester Fitness is blessed with a full team of nutritional coaches that are ready, willing, and very able to help you with any questions you have!
As we know, our immune system plays an important role in keeping us healthy. It fights germs associated with viruses by building physical and chemical barriers to prevent pathogens from entering our bodies, it targets and removes pathogens and can even remember pathogens to remove them if the body encounters them again. Micronutrients play a role in these processes and assist in the production of antibodies. When your nutrition is poor, fighting off viruses may be harder since your body is not equipped with the required tools. Research even suggests that certain micronutrients may help fight coronavirus and even though we only need a small quantity of micronutrients, a deficit can lead to a weaker immune system.
The best way to make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals is to eat a well-rounded diet.
| Micronutrient | Food Sources |
| Vitamin C | Tomatoes, citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, kiwis, berries, leafy greens |
| Vitamin D | Egg yolks, salmon, fortified dairy, mushrooms, SUNLIGHT |
| Vitamin E | Nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and fortified cereals |
| Zinc | Legumes, nuts, seeds. red meat, oysters, turkey (dark meat) |
Salmon Salad with Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
Salmon Salad
- 16 ounces salmon fillets- four 4-ounce pieces
- Olive oil as needed
- 8 cups of leafy greens
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup cucumber diced, ¼-inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup lemon juice plus zest of one lemon
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Salmon Salad
- Lightly coat both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper and olive oil.
- Heat grill to medium-high. Add a small amount of vegetable oil on a folded piece of paper towel, and carefully grease the grill grates.
- Once the grill is hot, add the salmon fillets. Cook uncovered about 4-5 minutes on each side until flaky (about 130-140°F).
- Remove the salmon from the grill and transfer to a clean plate, cover to keep warm. Remove the skin if still attached.
- In a large bowl add salad ingredients; greens, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, cheese, and walnuts. Set aside.
- Combine dressing ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Toss salad with enough dressing to coat the ingredients, you will have extra dressing. Evenly divide mixture among four bowls and top with 1 salmon fillet. Drizzle each with more dressing if desired.
About Julia Boisselle
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