Best Foods To Boost Your Immune System

A strong healthy immune system can help you fight off disease and help us recover from illness faster. But, good gut health needs to be built and nurtured and the sooner you start building good gut health, the sooner you’ll build a strong immune system. But, which are the best foods for you to eat in order to boost your immune system?Nature Knows BestVitamins and supplements are great additions to a healthy diet, but nothing compares to the power of natural, whole foods. Think about it. We, as Homo Sapiens, have been eating natural plants, tubers, seeds, berries and animals for almost 200,000 years. We’re perfectly developed to digest and assimilate these natural foods. Eating these foods helps you thrive.

The List

1. Citrus Fruits, such as grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes, and clementines are packed with white blood cell boosting Vitamin C. White Blood Cells are responsible for fighting off infections and viruses and naturally occurring Vitamin C is a great way to help boost these powerful friends.
2. Yogurt: This dairy delight contains plenty of naturally occurring probiotics which can create a friendly environment for good bacteria to flourish. Eating yogurt may help boost your immune system, but just look for yogurts that contain “live and active cultures.” Yogurt is also high in Vitamin D. Vitamin D is responsible for regulating the immune system by building healthy bones.
3. Ginger: As an ingredient ginger adds some flavor and also packs a little heat. Ginger contains gingerol, a relative of capsaicin which provides that kick, but it also provides good anti-inflammatory properties. Eating ginger may help you reduce the effects of being sick as well as reduce joint inflammation.
4. Red and Orange Bell Peppers: These peppers because they taste good, but they are also high in Beta Carotene (good for the eyes) and Vitamin C. When eating these peppers we’re actually getting more Vitamin C than when we eat citrus fruits!
5. Broccoli: This cruciferous vegetable is packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber making it one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on your table. Just be sure to eat it raw or at the very most par boiled.
6. Nuts: Almonds, Walnuts, Peanuts, Cashews and more contain a whopping amount of Vitamin E. Nuts provide you with a tremendous amount of anti-oxidants which help protect you from cell damage.
7. Spinach: This superfood is high in Vitamins A and C as well as Beta Carotene and many natural Antioxidants. Similar to broccoli, you don’t want to cook this vegetable much, but light cooking enhances its vitamin A and allows other nutrients to be released from oxalic acid.
8. Garlic: Hooray for the stinking rose, Garlic! As part of almost every culture’s cuisine, garlic may help lower blood pressure and slow down hardening of the arteries. Garlic’s heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin seem to be it’s source of immune-boosting properties.

A Good Start

While there are many more foods that help boost your immune system, these 8 foods made the top of our list due to their easy accessibility and wide variety. Good health depends on eating a wide variety of fresh foods each and every day. Those with a restrictive diet, whether for health issues or for personal reasons, should be much more careful to get all of their vitamins and minerals from the foods that are available to them People on restrictive diets should strongly consider supplementing their diets with proper vitamins and minerals made from natural sources.

Additional Protection Against the Flu

A few more best practices for protecting against the flu include

• Remaining home when feeling sick
• Avoiding contact with others who are sick
• Frequent and thorough hand washing
• Drink plenty of water
• Keeping surfaces clean with disinfectant wipes and sprays
• Get plenty of sleep
• Decrease stress

See also 17 “Healthy Foods” That You’ll Want to Avoid

If you or someone you know is experiencing any flu-like symptoms please contact your health professional immediately and protect yourself and others from the flu and the COVID-19 Coronavirus

Tony Bianchino is a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist

See more about Tony on our website Out Run Your Fork.com

Yours in health,

Tony Bianchino

Out Run Your Fork Personal Training and Nutritionweb: www.outrunyourfork.com

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