5 Foods that Boost your Immunity
During this uncertain time, It’s really important to concentrate on the things that we can control.
Anything that we can do to boost our immune system can be the difference between mild illness or severe sickness. We can’t control the virus but we can control the host in which it lives. The host being us. What we do to protect and fuel our immune system is up to us.
There are so many foods that we can eat to help with our immune system, and you probably already have most of them sitting in your pantry or fridge.
Adding basic things like garlic, turmeric, ginger, lemon, honey and yogurt to your diet is a great way to boost your immunity and help keep you strong.
What do these power foods do for your body?
Garlic — is a natural anti-inflammatory, it assists with detoxification of your body and eases the effects of cold and flu. Raw Garlic is Antiviral, cooking it will kill the active allinase enzyme.
Turmeric — Is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It also has been shown to have Antiviral and Antibacterial properties in the following research — Turmeric Study
Ginger — helps to aid digestion, fight against infections and has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s a natural painkiller and is perfect for when you have a cold or flu. Ginger, Lemon and Honey tea has long been a favourite for sore throats!
Citrus Fruits — Vitamin C is not just important for our immune functions, it is also involved in the repair of tissue and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. Building up Vit C long term is shown to have more benefits than over using it just when sick. — Fun Fact; If you are a historic Pirate, you probably have Scurvy from lack of Vitamin C.
Fermented Foods — You can find probiotics in certain fermented foods that help to strengthen your digestive tract. Look for Zuurkool (sauerkraut), Yoghurts and Kombucha. If you have a cold and a lot of mucus build up, avoid Yoghurt. While great as a daily probiotic, it tends to lead to an increased mucus production. A healthy gut means a good immune system.
Manuka Honey — Not all honey is equal. Manuka Honey has unique microbes which are graded (the Unique Manuka Factor, or UMF).
Medical grade Manuka Honey has been proven to accelerate the body healing processes, and strengthen the Immune System. It is Antiviral, Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal, and is more effective than antibiotics for many forms of bacteria.
Ways to include these ingredients into your diet
I like to start my day by having warm lemon water to jump start my digestion for the day, and just having an orange for a snack.
Garlic is perfect to use in most savoury dishes, like sauces and soups, buying this ingredient in powder form makes it easy to sprinkle it on top of your dishes.
Yoghurt is something that is easy to incorporate into your diet. You can have it for breakfast with some fruit or just as a snack.
Apart from adding a little bit of ginger to your cooking a good way to have it is in a tea. You can make it fresh yourself or buy it all ready to go.
Stay calm, Stay smart, Stay safe and Stay kind to each other during this uncertain time.
