Foods That Can Boost Immunity – What You Need to Know
It is easy to get the idea that boosting your immune system is something you should be focusing on in your diet. After all, what’s the harm in eating healthy foods? But while boosting your immunity or immune health may seem like a great deal, it’s crucial that you realise there are many fine lines you need to walk in your quest to strengthen your immune health.
- As mentioned at the beginning boosting your immunity starts with what you put into your stomach. For example, most people take vitamin C supplements every day for the wonderful benefits it has for their overall health and well-being. But did you realize that while taking vitamin C can boost your immune system, it can actually increase your chances of getting an infection, if you consume it more than required? The same is true for vitamin E and A as well.
- The reason that some foods boost your immunity while others do not, essentially, is because of their overall nutritional value. Yes, you read correctly: some foods actually weaken your immune system! Some of these include: tofu, unripe bananas, raw milk cheese, chocolate, too much strawberries and coffee. These foods will not help you to boost your immunity.
- On the other hand, if you eat foods that boost your immune system, such as mushrooms, wheat germ, spinach, etc. and have them in moderation also, you are feeding your adaptive system, which is naturally more robust than your innate immune system. The adaptive system is, basically, the “firewalls” that you have at your disposal to ward off and fight off invaders such as bacteria and viruses. The purpose of your adaptive system is to keep you alive. Therefore, the higher the nutritional value of the foods you eat, the better equipped your adaptive system is to do just that. And the more nutrients you eat, the stronger your immune system gets.
- In order to boost immunity naturally, you must also eat foods that contain probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria, which occur in our digestive tracts and are necessary for proper digestion. They are also found in fermented foods such as yogurt and fermented beverages like kombucha. It is important to consume a balanced diet with a sufficient amount of probiotics in order to obtain optimal health. Fortunately, there are foods like idli, dosa, kimchi, yogurt, lassi, etc, which contain probiotics and can help you to boost immunity. When you eat foods rich in probiotics, and when you get plenty of sleep, you will be able to recover from your infection more quickly.
- For good immune health, make sure to include l-glutamine-rich foods such as cabbage, eggs, nuts, milk, seafood, beans etc. When taken in sufficient amounts, L-glutamine has been shown to help reduce the length of time needed for healing after infection and help increase the effectiveness of your own immune defense. It is even available in supplement form and is available in stores that sell vitamins.
- We all know the importance of vitamin C to your immunity, and especially to your health, you should make sure to consume a well-balanced diet that contains a healthy amount of vitamin C too. In fact, if you follow a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise, you may find that you do not have to take any antiviral medications at all to cure an illness or to improve your immune system. There are also foods that can boost your immune system and help to protect you from colds and flu.
- The foods that you consume can affect the production of antibodies and help you strengthen and improve your immune system. Antibodies are necessary for your body to fight off infection and to keep you healthy. If you cannot produce enough antibodies to keep yourself healthy, you will need to supplement your diet with vitamin C, neem tablets, etc, and other foods help produce antibodies. As your immune system strengthens, you will notice that you begin to recover from colds and flu easier and faster.
What do you do to strengthen your immunity levels? Feel free to share with us in the comments section below.
