Minka Vail first became curious about immune-supporting foods after a brutal winter left her catching every cold in sight. “I started wondering if my plant-based diet was missing something,” she says. “I felt like I was doing everything right, but my body said otherwise.”
After speaking with a nutritionist, she realized that while veganism could be incredibly nourishing, it still required balance—especially when it came to supporting immunity. “It wasn’t about adding supplements,” she explains. “It was about building meals that gave my body what it needed to stay strong.”
She started by focusing on color—bright vegetables, leafy greens, citrus fruits, berries, turmeric, ginger. Her breakfasts became warm bowls of oats with chia, flax, and blueberries. Lunches often featured lentil soups with garlic and sweet potatoes, while dinners revolved around stir-fries or roasted vegetables with tofu and quinoa.
Minka also began paying attention to her gut health, adding fermented foods like kimchi and plant-based yogurt. “So much of immunity is tied to the gut,” she says. “I had never thought about that before.”
Over the months, she noticed she wasn’t getting sick as often. Her energy returned, and even her mood improved. “It wasn’t a magic fix,” she says. “It was just consistency and nourishment.”
To her, eating vegan became more than a philosophy—it became a way of supporting her whole system. “Food is fuel,” Minka says, “but it’s also your body’s first defense.”