Immunity Boosting Power - LEVEL UP!
Flu season has come and gone, but to keep your immune system running high throughout the year is going to require a little maintenance.
Why buff up your immune system?
The immune system does more than just protect your body from the most current strains of cold and flu. It also helps combat other pathogens like parasitic worms, life-threatening strains of bacteria in your uncooked cookie dough and even tumor cells.
QUICK FACT: Warts are actually benign tumors, which is why if you let one alone, your body’s immune system will eventually destroy it without any outside intervention!
Not only is a strong immune system practical and helpful it also makes life a bit easier for you. It’s always a relief to make it through the year with without many colds, despite the fact you share close quarters with family, friends and co-workers constantly coughing and sneezing lord only knows what all over you.
What you can do to strengthen your immune system
A great way to boost your immune system is to partake in a healthy, balanced diet. Simple in theory, hard to apply. It takes a lot of will to give up the junk foods you love in favor of more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but your body will thank you when you make the switch. Believe me, you’ll get sick a lot less when you do!
Make sure to incorporate vegetables of all colors (green, red, yellow and orange), fruits, nuts, seeds, roots, whole grains and meats if you’re not a vegetarian.
Vitamin C is a great way to boost immunity. It’s why you drink orange juice while you’re sick. Vitamin C is best consumed in the form of a fruit, as your body will absorb it better. However, if you’re pressed for time or don’t like fruit much, you can take a Vitamin C capsule once a day.
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which not only sweep away free radicals from the body but also stimulate the immune system. Try to incorporate 3 glasses into your daily routine: morning, noon and night.
Echinacea is an herb that also stimulates the immune system and jumpstarts the production of immune-boosting cells in your body. It is available as a root, the whole plant and easy to swallow capsules.
Ginseng is another herb which may improve immune function. Ginseng has been shown to improve the immune system of those with bronchitis, chronic fatigue syndrome and even AIDS. You can purchase ginseng caplets from any drugstore.
Garlic, with its irresistible yet pungent aroma, is also chock full of immune boosting selenium. I’m convinced that garlic is a panacea. I can’t think of anything it doesn’t fix!
Zinc also improves overall immune function. Foods that are high in zinc include oysters, poultry, red meat, beans, nuts and whole grains. Zinc is also available in pill or lozenge form.
Drink water. Enough said. Not sure how much you should drink during the day? Check out this site and you’ll have the answer!
Perhaps one of the best things you can do to improve immunity (especially when you’re fighting off illness) is to rest. The average adult only gets 5-6 hours of sleep a night when they should be getting about 8 for optimal functioning. If you’re sick, you need even more. Give yourself time to rest and see how much better you feel!
–Magdalena
Do you have a tip on how to improve overall immunity? Comment and tell us about it!
