Eat the right foods to build your immunity and resistance to common infections.
Are you prone to picking up infections constantly? Have doctor visits and bed rest become the norm? If your answer is yes to these questions, then it’s time to do something about this downward spiral. Perhaps you need a new eating plan, with foods to boost your immunity.
Here’s a round up of some of our favorite germ-fighting foods:
#1 Citrus fruits: Don’t fall for the myth that citrus fruits can give you a sore throat. On the contrary, fruit such as grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, and limes are the best-known sources of Vitamin C.
In particular, this is important since the body doesn’t manufacture or store it’s own Vitamin C. Also, fruit from the citrus family contain anti-oxidants, that confer protective effects.
#2 Broccoli: Undoubtedly a super-food, broccoli can be eaten steamed or raw in salads. This green cauliflower like vegetable is a good source of vitamins A, C and E, and antioxidants.
#3 Garlic: Is well known for its disease-fighting abilities. It may be eaten raw, or added to cooking to enhance the flavour of foods and provide a dose of sulfur-compounds such as allicin. According to studies, garlic can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and boosting the body’s fight mechanism.
#4 Yogurt: The probiotics or ‘good bacteria’ found in yogurt and other fermented products are a boon to the digestive system, and are believed to improve immunity too. In case you don’t eat your daily bowl of curd, you can consider a probiotic drink or capsule instead.
#5 Chicken soup: This is a traditional remedy for convalescents. Studies indicate that this soup is more effective than hot water during a bout of cough or flu. When chicken is cooked, an amino acid called cysteine is released, which is effective in thinning mucus.
#6 Sweet potatoes: These promote skin health, inadvertently boosting immunity. Sweet potatoes contain high doses of vitamin A, which plays an important role in the production of connective tissue in the skin. Since the human skin is the largest organ in the body, it acts as a shield against hundreds of disease-causing organisms.
#7 Ginger: An essential spice in Indian cooking, ginger has multiple health and taste benefits. Known to be a great digestive, this root is an excellent remedy for sore throats, too. Drink some ginger juice with honey, since this is considered medicinal in the Ayurvedic system of medicine.