Effective Immune Boosting System
Your immune system is a pretty remarkable thing. It fights off infections and invading viruses and bacteria. It keeps you healthy and strong.
But can you improve your odds of staying healthy?
Are there foods you can eat to help keep you from coming down with a cold or the flu?
Your immune system consists of your thymus, your bone marrow, your spleen, your lymphatic system, white blood cells, and antibodies. This system keeps a record of every foreign invader you’ve ever encountered.
With some microbes, this provides immunity against that disease, as with measles or smallpox. With others, like the quickly mutating cold and flu viruses, every year brings a new virus to fight.
There are also certain disorders, like lichen planus or rheumatoid arthritis, that surface when the immune system attacks things it believes to be diseases, but which aren’t.
There are also medications and diseases that lower your immune system’s ability to respond to those invaders.
Thankfully, there are a few simple lifestyle changes you can make that will keep your body healthier and your immune system working at its best.
In this special report, we’ll take a close look at the some of the best ways to naturally and effectively boost your immune system.
Avoid Infection
You always want to pay attention to your daily habits, and how they might play a factor in compromising your immune system, especially during cold and flu season.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water (or alcohol-based sanitizer if you can’t get to soap and water). You should be washing your hands after using the restroom, after handling raw meats during cooking, after gardening or cleaning the house, after petting an animal, after coughing or sneezing, and after visiting someone who is (or may be) sick.
Lather your hands well with soap, making sure you scrub the backs of your hands and between your fingers, not just the palms. Scrub up to the wrist to be certain you get all the dirt and try to include your fingernails if you can. Try to scrub for at least the length of time it takes to sing “The Birthday Song,” about 20 seconds, then rinse well with warm water.
Some additional safety tips for everyone to follow include:
- Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or aim into the curve of your elbow so you don’t infect your hands.
- Get your vaccines. You should get a yearly flu vaccine no matter what, and if you’re eligible, get the pneumonia shot every ten to fifteen years.
- Wash and bandage any cuts or scrapes. See a doctor for any serious wounds.
- Avoid picking at healing wounds or squeezing pimples.
- Avoid sharing eating utensils, cups, plates, cans of soda, etc. Also, avoid using someone else’s napkins, tissues, or handkerchiefs.
- Rinse meats, fruits, and veggies under running water before cooking or serving them.
- Separate raw and cooked foods. Use different utensils and cutting boards (or wash them carefully between different foods).
- Cook food thoroughly and use a meat thermometer to be sure meats are done.
- Defrost your food only in the fridge or microwave, not on the kitchen counter.
Staying healthy means staying vigilant with protecting your immune system. If you follow the above precautions, your immune system will have a lot less stress in the long run.
Immune Boosting Liquids
There are plenty of immune-boosting liquids that you should consider including in your daily diet. Some of them may be familiar, like Grandma’s chicken soup or Auntie’s ginseng tea. Others may surprise you. Try one or more of these to give your immune system a jump-start.
A hot bowl of homemade soup really does help you feel better and might even help you get well sooner. Homemade soup also contains a chemical called carnosine that might protect your body from the influenza virus. It has anti-inflammatory properties that soothes your nasal cavities and upper respiratory tract.
If you don’t have time to make your own, stock up on pre-packaged soup.
Ginseng tea has been used for some time as a treatment for upper respiratory tract infections like the common cold. A review showed that ginseng helped reduce the symptoms of cold and flu, but also noted that we need further research to prove that it does boost the immune system.
Pomegranate juice is another immune booster. So far, most research has focused on the extract of the fruit, but juice is looking more and more promising. It might help your body resist bacteria and several different kinds of viruses (including the flu).
Extra virgin olive oil has been shown to boost your body’s immunity. One study showed that its high-polyunsaturated fats produce anti-inflammatory effects that help boost the immune system and help fight off disease and infection.
Green tea is great for fighting off a cold virus. It contains antioxidants called flavonoids, that boost immunity and have anti-inflammatory effects. One study found that catechin, one of the flavonoids, is a powerful antiviral and antibacterial chemical that can kill off disease-causing bacteria and viruses like the cold or flu.
Bone broth may actually be the reason that chicken soup is so good for you. The broth has an anti-inflammatory effect that helps boost your immune system’s ability to fight off disease and infection.
Anise tea is another immune boosting liquid. One review showed that this plant acts as an antiviral and antifungal, as well as having anti-inflammatory effects that boost your immunity.
The Power of Spices
You probably wouldn’t think of spices when you think of boosting your immune system, however many of them have anti-inflammatory effects that help your body recover far more quickly from an infection and may even prevent you from catching it in the first place.
Garlic is found in nearly every cuisine in the world. Early civilizations recognized that it helped fight off infections.
These immune boosting properties may come from a sulfur-based chemical called allicin, which is the “main ingredient” in garlic (the sulfur is what gives it that distinctive smell).
Allicin is unstable, so as soon as you crush the garlic, it begins changing into other chemicals that have medicinal properties. These have been shown to improve the disease-fighting abilities of some of your white blood cells. Garlic may also slow down hardening of the arteries, and there’s some evidence it may help lower blood pressure.
Ginger can give your Asian food a great kick, and it makes a mean tea. Ginger ale is good for nausea, too.
However, did you know it’s a good source of immune-boosting antioxidants? As with garlic, you need to use the actual root and not a supplement.
Antioxidants work best when you get them right from the fruits and veggies that make them.
Researchers have found ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties that help you combat a cold or flu and boost your immune system, as well as antimicrobial properties to fight off infection.
Turmeric is more than just a delicious spice. It contains a powerful anti-inflammatory chemical called curcumin. This stimulates your body to make T-Cells, the main fighting cells of your immune system. Turmeric has also been suggested to be a moderator of your immune system. Curcumin also gives this spice it’s bright yellow color, in case you were wondering.
Rosemary is more than just a tasty herb. It’s packed with antioxidants and is also a powerful anti-inflammatory.
One study found that most herbs contain antioxidants that help keep your immune system healthier. Rosemary’s anti-inflammatory effect also helps boost your immunity to infections.
Fennel has a variety of effects that soothe your flu-like symptoms. It contains phytochemicals that act as antioxidants, and one study showed it soothed conditions like conjunctivitis, fever, stomachache, and diarrhea. Fennel also has anti-inflammatory flavonoids that help boost your immune system.
Astralagus root is a Chinese herb long used in medicine to boost the immune system. Animal studies suggests it can regulate the immune system as well.
You can make immune-boosting bitters by combining 1 ounce dried astralagus root, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 ounce dried angelica root, ½ ounce dried chamomile, 1 teaspoon dried ginger, 1 teaspoon dried orange peel, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, and 10 ounces of vodka (100 proof).
First, dissolve the honey in 2 teaspoons of boiling water and allow it to cool. Combine the honey and dried ingredients in a large Mason jar and add alcohol. Seal tightly and story your bitters in a cool, dark place.
Once a day, shake the jar firmly. Allow to steep for two to four weeks until the desired strength is reached, then strain the bitters through a muslin cheesecloth or coffee filter.
Store the strained bitters at room temperature in a sealed container.
Immune Boosting Fruits
A healthy diet contains a good portion of fruit and veggies, after all. However, many fruits contain chemicals that actually boost your immune system and help you fight off infection.
You’ve probably heard of elderberries and their connection to colds and flu. Elderberry extract (syrup, gummies, etc.) has been shown to reduce the time you suffer from a cold, but that’s not really boosting your immunity, is it?
There are a few studies that seem to indicate elderberry might help prevent you from catching the flu (not a cold though) if you take it daily. We need more scientific studies, but it looks promising.
Acai berries are loaded with antioxidants, which have been proven to improve your health. We don’t know for certain if they boost your immunity, but they do help your overall condition, so it’s likely. Enjoy the juice or make a berry smoothie. You can also eat the dried berries in a nice trail mix.
Watermelon as an immune booster?
Yes, indeed. This fruit contains a powerful antioxidant called glutathione, which strengthens your immune system. To get the most antioxidant, eat the red part right next to the rind.
Papaya is another fruit that’s packed with Vitamin C, with one medium fruit providing twice the daily recommended amount of the vitamin.
The fruit also contains a digestive enzyme called papain, which has anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, they contain potassium, magnesium, and folate, all of which help keep your healthier.
Of course, everyone knows that citrus fruits are full of Vitamin C.
Fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit can help prevent you from catching a cold. Vitamin C can also reduce the length of time and severity of the cold symptoms.
The daily recommend amount of Vitamin C is 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men. Try not to get more than 2,000 milligrams in one day though.
Green for the Win
Greens are a very healthy part of a complete diet. Whether you make a salad or cook them lightly in a pan, these vegetables can help improve your immunity and help fight off colds and flu.
Spinach has been called a “superfood.” It contains folate, which helps your body make new DNA and repair your cells. It also has lots of healthy fiber and antioxidants like Vitamin C.
Spinach also contains flavonoids, carotenoids, and Vitamin E, all of which help boost your immune system and keep you healthier. Eat it raw in a salad or lightly cooked for the best benefit.
Broccoli is another basic immune booster like spinach. It contains Vitamin A and C, and the antioxidant glutathione. These boost your immunity and improve your health. Cruciferous veggies also contain sulforaphane, a chemical that activates antioxidant genes and enzymes in your immune cells.
Try it alone, maybe with a little cheese topping, or mixed with nearly any other food.
Kale, like all green vegetables, provides anti-inflammatory antioxidants as well as important nutrients that are known to boost the immune system, like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and folate.
Sauté in extra virgin olive oil with a little garlic, turmeric, and black pepper—or chop into a salad. You can even add greens to your smoothies.
Get Colourful
You get more vitamins and minerals from raw or very lightly cooked vegetables.
Also, the more colorful your veggies, the healthier they are. White veggies (like potatoes) are the least healthy for you—but you probably already know that from school. Try to get a large part of each meal from vegetables to keep your body at its best.
Sweet potatoes, like carrots, contain beta-carotene. This is changed into Vitamin A in your body, and that clears our those damaging free radicals that attack your DNA. And that, in turn, will improve your immune system.
It may even help with the aging process. So, bake a sweet potato instead of a white one, and you might just be prolonging your life.
Tomatoes are great when you’re sick. They’re full of Vitamin C (one medium tomato has more than 16 milligrams!) and you already heard how that boosts your immune system.
One German study showed that Vitamin C helps strengthen your body’s phagocytes and T-cells, two major parts of your immune system. The study also showed that a Vitamin C deficiency can lead to lower resistance to infections.
Red peppers are another great source of Vitamin C that will help you fight off a cold. A 2013 review found that getting 200 milligrams of Vitamin C every day might cut your risk of catching a cold in half if you are an “extremely active” person.
Vitamin C also lowers the length of time of your symptoms by 8% in adults and 14% in children.
Try stir-frying or roasting these colorful peppers to retain more nutrients than steaming or boiling does.
Meat and Dairy
Meat and dairy are excellent sources of Vitamin B6, B12, riboflavin, and selenium. Let’s look at some ways that meats and dairy products may help fight off an infection like a cold or the flu.
Probiotics that are found in fermented dairy products may reduce the symptoms of the common cold. Look for a label that says “Live, active culture” to get the right probiotic.
Researchers have discovered that people who eat probiotics every day are less likely to come down with a cold or flu than people who don’t. Try to find yogurt or other fermented products that have added Vitamin D because studies have shown that if your Vitamin D levels are low, you’re more likely to catch a cold or flu.
Wild salmon is loaded with zinc, a mineral that has been shown to help reduce your cold symptoms. If you want to avoid catching a cold, you should be eating plenty of zinc-containing foods.
One study showed that children between 6.5 and 10 years old who got 15 milligrams of zinc every day for seven months were significantly less likely to come down with a cold than those who didn’t.
Another study of children up to 10 years old found that zinc, when compared with a placebo, significantly reduced the severity of cold symptoms and the length of the cold if it was taken within 48 hours of the first symptoms.
Eggs, especially the yolks, are packed with Vitamin D, which helps to regulate and strengthen immunity.
One study found that people who took a Vitamin D supplement daily were far less likely to come down with a cold or flu than those who didn’t. Eggs are also good sources of Vitamin E, zinc, and selenium, all of which help boost your immunity.
Try to make sure your chickens were fed a vegetarian diet, which will increase the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins within their eggs. You don’t need to opt for cage-free or organic - a vegetarian diet appears to be the only qualification.
Light white tuna, like salmon, is loaded with zinc. This mineral can help reduce your risk of getting a cold or the flu and can help reduce the severity of your symptoms as well. One study found that people who got at least 75 milligrams of zinc a day got over a cold far sooner than those who didn’t.
Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are also good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.
One study showed that long-term intake of Omega-3 fatty acids might lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is an immune-system disorder where the body attacks healthy parts of itself instead of attacking invaders.
Kefir is a fermented milk drink that has live cultures of healthy bacteria in it. It’s rather like drinking thin yogurt.
A 2017 review showed that drinking kefir regularly helps your immune system fight off bacteria, reduce inflammation, and increase the activity of antioxidants.
One reason to choose kefir over another fermented drink like kombucha is that kefir often has added Vitamin D, which is another immune boosting chemical.
Poultry like chicken and turkey is high in Vitamin B-6. This vitamin is important in many of your body’s important functions and helps with the formation of red blood cells.
Just 3 ounces of poultry contains around 50% of your daily recommended amount of B6. The protein in meats also provides amino acids, which are used in your body to actually build your antibodies.
Nuts and Seeds
Here’s another food group that you may not consider when thinking about your immune system, however many seeds and nuts can help keep your immune system healthy.
Whole grain breads contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that can help boost your immunity. They also help increase the number of healthy bacteria in your gut, which is another way to keep your immunity high. 70% of your immune system cells live in your gut, so keeping it healthier helps you resist colds and flu.
Most nuts contain lots of Vitamin E, which has been shown to help fight off illness.
One study showed that taking 50 milligrams of this vitamin daily helped reduce the chances of catching a cold by 28% in a group of men 65 years old and up who also smoked. Researchers say we need more studies to prove that Vitamin E is responsible for this decreased risk, but it does look quite promising.
Sunflower seeds are loaded with Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. This helps protect the immune system from those damaging free radicals that may contribute to disease.
They also contain selenium, which may help fight infection. Just an ounce of seeds has nearly half the recommended daily amount of this important mineral.
Chia seeds are a great source of zinc, which we’ve already talked about.
Just 2 tablespoons provides nearly 12% of your daily zinc requirement!
Add that to your favorite smoothie or make a great-tasting non-smoothie drink. Combine 1 cup of water with 3 tablespoons of chia seeds in a tall glass. Cover it and let it steep for 15-20 minutes inside your fridge. The seeds will swell up and release a gel-like substance. Thin the solution with 1 cup of your favorite no-sugar fruit juice (check the label). The best choices are 100% pomegranate or cherry juice. Stir well and enjoy.
Brazil nuts contain an immune boosting mineral called selenium. Selenium deficiency has been shown to delay your immune response, so you want to be sure you’re getting enough of it in your diet.
One ounce of Brazil nuts (six to eight nuts) will provide you with almost 1,000% of the daily recommended amount of selenium. Eat them as is, or chop and add to a salad or oatmeal.
Walnuts have anti-inflammatory effects but they also contain several nutrients that support your immune system, like Vitamin E, B6, folate, and copper. In addition, studies also show that walnuts reduce psychological stress, and we all know that stress lowers your immune response.
So, as you can see, there are plenty of foods you can eat (and drink) to boost your body’s natural defenses. Consider how you can begin to incorporate some of these foods into your diet and strengthen your immune system for a longer, healthier life.
Resources
Here are links to a few resources that I believe will help you:
9 Ways to Boost Your Body’s Natural Defenses:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-boost-immune-health
Boost Your Immune System in 24 Hours:
https://www.healingholidays.com/blog/boost-your-immune-system-in-24-hours
Top Foods for Boosting Your Immune System:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322412
4 Simple Strategies to Boost Your Immune System:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/strengthen-your-immune-system-with-simple-strategies/
