We all reside in a fast-moving ruthless world that doesn’t slow down for anyone. To keep up with this, we struggle day in and day out just to make ends meet. We are all striving to go the furthest in this rat race known as life. We are constantly busy, doing one thing or another. We don’t have a single moment to spare anymore. First, it used to be only with adults.
However, nowadays, even kids do not have time for leisure. They as well have been immersed in a life of studies and hard work from an early age. In all of this haste, we don’t stop and think about what is actually more important. Our well-being. We have started to neglect our health to the point of no return. It is a long tradition for our society to ignore mental health issues, however, we have transgressed to ignoring our physical health as well.
In recent days, regular life as we knew was brought to a halt by a pandemic. The Coronavirus has stopped our normal everyday life in a manner that we could have never guessed. We are forced to lock ourselves in our homes and practice social distance in order to refrain from being infected. The virus is unlike anything we have ever seen and so far there is not a fully working cure for it.
So, your best options are to stay at home and strengthen your immune system. Your immune system helps fight off infections and toxins in your body and helps to keep you healthy. Therefore, it is important that you do whatever it takes to make your immune system as strong as possible. Having a strong immune system is your best option for fighting off the coronavirus
However, it is important to inform that no supplement will help cure or prevent disease. Only social distancing and proper hygiene practices will stop you from contracting the virus. No research supports that supplements can prevent coronavirus.
Hence, in this article, we’ll be talking about a few foods that can help you strengthen your immune system.
Foods to boost your immune system
Blueberries
Blueberries are great for boosting your immune system. They are a superfood that helps reduce the risk of many chronic health conditions. Studies suggest that plant foods such as blueberries help decrease the risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and overall mortality. Blueberries contain a variety of flavonoids known as anthocyanin. This flavonoid has antioxidant properties which are known to help strengthen an individual’s immune system. A study conducted in 2016 suggested that flavonoids play a vital role in the respiratory tract’s immune defense system.
The study also found that people who ate flavonoid-rich foods had a lesser chance of developing an upper respiratory tract infection, or the common cold, compared to those who did not.
Turmeric
Turmeric is mostly used in cooking. It is also used to make alternative medicine. Ingesting turmeric may improve an individual’s immune response. This due to the properties of curcumin, a compound found in turmeric. Turmeric can be consumed in the form of turmeric supplements, can be added to food, or simply take turmeric capsules. There is not proper turmeric dosage so consume about 500 mg per day. One of the best immunity booster foods.
Citrus Fruits
Vitamin C is great for the immune system. Vitamin C is known to increase the production of white blood cells which are vital for fighting off infections. Most citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. There is a huge variety to choose from, therefore, here are some of the most popular citrus fruits:
- grapefruit
- oranges
- clementines
- tangerines
- lemons
- limes
Our bodies are incapable of producing vitamin C on its own, hence, you need to ingest vitamin C daily for continued health. Experts recommend that adult women should take about 75 mg and men should take around 90 mg per day.
Broccoli
Broccoli is jam-packed with minerals and vitamins that help build up your immune system. It is supercharged with vitamin A, C, and E. It also has a large amount of fiber and other antioxidants that help you maintain your weight and overall well-being. Broccoli is famously one of the healthiest vegetables that you can eat.
The key to not losing all of its properties is to cook as little as possible or don’t. Studies point towards steaming as the best way to cook broccoli without losing all its health benefits.
Also read: Eat for the Heart Beat! What Is a Heart Healthy Diet?
Spinach
Spinach is essential for being healthy, regardless of its immune system strengthening properties. It contains copious amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants. It also contains beta carotene, which can further help improve the infection combating ability of our immune system.
Like broccoli, it is recommended that you cook spinach as little as possible. The heat can actually kill its nutrients. However, cooking it lightly can make it easier to absorb vitamin A and releases other nutrients from oxalic acid.
Yogurt
Yogurts containing live and active cultures such as greek yogurt can help stimulate your immune system to help fight infectious diseases. Try consuming plain yogurts as the flavored ones tend to contain high amounts of sugar. You could add healthy fruits and honey into your plain yogurt to sweeten it. Furthermore, yogurt is a great source of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps strengthen your immune system and boosts your body’s natural defenses against diseases. There are ongoing clinical trials to study the effects of yogurt on COVID-19. The best immunity boosting food for covid.
Ginger
Ginger is another ingredient vital for helping you from getting sick. It decreases inflammation, which can help combat a sore throat and other such inflammatory ailments. Ginger is also great for reducing nausea. Ginger contains gingerol, which is a relative of capsaicin and helps in building up the immune system.
Ginger also helps to decrease chronic pains and may even help lower the cholesterol of some individuals. You can make ginger drinks to boost the immune system.
Also read: After-Workout Diet Plan
Bottomline
Be cautious during this pandemic. Therefore, practice social distancing, take supplements to boost the immune system, and consult a doctor if you show any symptoms of the virus.
