The immune system is the defense system of our body as it protects us from various infections and diseases. More powerful our immune system more healthy body we have. A strong and healthy immune system is a must for our body.
Our immune system recognizes and neutralizes harmful substances of the environment. It neutralizes and eliminates harmful pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc from the body. Our immune system also fights against own cells of the body which are harmful to the body or changes due to illness or imbalances.
The first step to boost your immune power is to watch your eating habits. Whatever we eat has a big impact on our immune system and the entire body. We should eat healthy foods to build a strong immune system. Unhealthy dietary habits or malfunctions make our immune system weak.
So let’s have a look at foods that boost your immune power:
Cruciferous Vegetables:
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are loaded with vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins contain disease-preventing phytochemicals. These are rich in fiber and minerals so you should add these to your daily diet. Spinach is packed with vitamin C, beta carotene and numerous antioxidants which enhance the disease-fighting ability of the immune system.
Garlic:
It is widely used as immunity-boosting food. Raw garlic has a strong ability to fight viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It can fight skin infections. It has a specific ability to improve the immune system by strengthening its fighting mechanisms. It increases the T-cells (virus-fighting) in the bloodstream. Garlic contains over 100 useful biological chemicals. Garlic can be consumed raw or in the form of garlic supplements.
Fresh fruits:
Fruits are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Fruits rich in antioxidants boost your immune system. Citrus fruits like orange, lemon and grapefruit are best to boost your immune power. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C that produces disease or infection-fighting antibodies which prevent the entry of harmful bacteria and viruses in your body. Kiwi and papaya contain vitamin C that boosts your immune system. Other immunities boosting fruits are guava, strawberries, and blueberries which contain a high amount of antioxidants.
Nuts and dry fruits:
Nuts and dry fruits are very tasty and healthy. These are rich in fiber, protein, and phytochemicals. These nutritious nuts contain selenium, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to a healthy immune system. Regular consumption of almonds, walnuts, and pistachios lower down the cholesterol and boost your immune power.
Seeds:
Pumpkin, watermelon, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds are the best sources of omega-3 fats that help our body fight against rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. These seeds contain adequate amounts of essential vitamins minerals and zinc which are required by your body to maintain a healthy immune system.
Yogurt:
It is one of the highly recommended immunity-boosting foods. Yogurt contains probiotics (barrier against microbial infections) and other fermented products which can ease the colds. Yogurt prevents unnecessary inflammation in the gut and destroys harmful bacteria in the gut. It is excellent to boost your immune system.
Tea:
Drinking any kind of tea i.e. green, black, white or any herbal tea can help strengthen your immune system. All of these teas contain disease-fighting flavonoids and polyphenols. These antioxidants present in tea identify and destroy free radicals which damage cells. It makes the immune system strong enough to fight diseases and infections. Green tea is the most beneficial tea to boost your immune system.
These foods are great to build and boost your immunity. Make sure you add each of these foods in your weekly diet. Other than healthy eating there are some other ways to enhance your immune power.
Here are some beneficial ways and tips to boost your immune power:
Stay hydrated:
Proper hydration can raise your body’s immunity levels. Drinking sufficient water flushes out the toxins from your body and contributes to better digestion of food. Water promotes the production of lymph that carries white blood cells in your body to fight illness. Your body uses water to clean your eyes and body to keep away the disease-causing microbes.
Get sufficient sleep:
We know that better sleep is essential for a healthy body. When you take good sleep it helps restore your body and help maintain a strong immune system. Keeping your body well-rested contributes to good health. Lack of sleep slowdowns the production of T-cells in the body that makes your body prone to catch a cold or flues.
Manage your stress levels:
Stress can prevent the protective actions of the immune system and aggravate pathological immune responses. You should make some efforts to minimize your stress levels as it can promote the self-healing processes of the body. Meditation, yoga practice, relaxation techniques, and laughter therapy are some excellent and effective ways to kill the stress.
Don’t rely on medications:
A lot of people are dependent on medications even for normal problems. Excessive intake of medications impedes your immune system and can significantly affect your kidney, liver and reproductive functions. Medicines help you recover from disease and illness but these are not helpful to improve your immune power. Excessive intake of antibiotics and medications reduce the production of cytokines (messengers of the immune system) in the body. So stop taking unnecessary medicines if you want to boost your immune power.
Follow healthy lifestyle habits:
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the easiest way to keep your immune system healthy and strong. Minimize alcohol consumption and smoking as these can make your immune system weak. Do a normal walk or exercise daily to maintain a healthy weight and body. Pay attention to hygiene such as wash your hands regularly, don’t touch your face unnecessarily, take proper rest when you are sick, use a tissue or your elbow while sneezing or coughing and keep your surroundings clean.
The immune system is like the soldier of our body because it daily fights against a variety of viruses, bacteria, toxins, and pollution to keep us safe and healthy. So it’s our responsibility to take care of our immune system. We should opt for immunity-boosting foods and habits to promote a strong immune system and stay healthy.
Kalden wants you to stay aware of such things, especially during this flu season. For more similar blogs stay tuned with