Your immune system is your first line of defense against illness and disease. When you fall ill, germs, bacteria, microbes or viruses attack your body and make you unwell. Your immune system, like an army of doctors, attack these invaders and fight off the invaders.
Too little sleep, stress, and an unhealthy diet can all impair the function of your immune system and as being unwell is no-one’s idea of fun, it makes sense to include immune-boosting superfoods in your diet.
Since I have been using superfood powder and eating more whole immune boosting superfoods, I have been ill much less frequently and have had none of the usual colds and flu I normally suffer from each winter. I am convinced that these foods really do work. My favorite superfood powder and the one I recommend on my article “The Best Superfood Powder“.
Here are my five top immune-boosting superfoods…
1. Garlic
Pungent garlic is a truly miraculous superfood that can help prevent cancer, lower blood pressure, relieve joint pain and fight off vampires! It’s also a very effective immune boosting superfood. Whether you choose to add fresh garlic to your meals or use a garlic oil supplement, there is no denying that garlic is a very powerful immune booster. A clove a day will do your immune system wonders.
2. Natural yogurt
Natural yogurt is high in probiotics, “How Probiotics Have Helped Me“. Probiotics are a kind of good bacteria that is vital for the health of your digestive system. For your immune system to work properly, it has to be supplied with the right nutrients and that can only happen if your digestive system is working correctly. Not only that, lactobacillus reuteri—a specific probiotic that is abundant in natural yogurt – is linked to the increased production of white blood cells. WBCs are one of the ways your body fights infection and an important part of the immune system’s response to illness.
3. Shellfish
Prawns, oysters, clams, crab and lobster can help boost your white blood cell count. The more white blood cells you have, the better able your body will be to fight off infection. Shellfish are high in the mineral selenium which is essential for the production of white blood cells. They are also high in omega three fatty acids which are not only anti-inflammatory but are renowned for increasing airflow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections.
4. Chicken broth
Chicken broth has long been revered as a cure for colds and flu. This isn’t just an old wives’ tale but a fact supported by doctors. Chicken broth contains oodles of protein and the amino acid cysteine, which chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine and helps explains why this folk remedy really works.
To make chicken broth, boil the carcass of a chicken in seasoned water for several hours. Drain away the solids and then use the resulting liquid to make a soup by adding vegetables of your choice – carrots and sweetcorn are always a good choice. Cook for 30 minutes or so and then use an immersion blender to liquidize the ingredients to the desired texture.
5. Mushrooms
The humble mushroom has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine and for good reason – they work! Known to be an effective immune system booster, you can add mushrooms to almost any main meal or even make them into a sort of tea. Dried or fresh, mushrooms are a powerful immune system aid that also tastes good. Like so many immune system boosters, mushrooms work by increasing the strength, mobility, and number of your white blood cells. Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup recipe.
Conclusion
Being ill is no one’s idea of a good time so adding these immune-boosting superfoods to your diet is nothing but a smart move. Consuming the superfoods should mean you experience less sickness and that’s something worth having.
My weight loss plan using Meal Replacement Shakes
15 Meal Replacement Shakes Recipes
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