13 Tips That Help Boost Your Immune System

Feeding your body with certain foods can help keep your immune system strong and active. If you are looking for some ways to prevent colds and flu, this article is for you.

It is our immune system, which must be ready to react when environmental stimuli change abruptly.

Our task, therefore, is to help and stimulate him, in order to make him a defense ready to react to the first attack.

Did you know that help can come from the table?

That's right, our food choices greatly influence our health not only in terms of prevention and treatment of some diseases, but also to strengthen our body, precisely by stimulating the defense system which in itself is very efficient.

Why do some foods have this property?

Thanks to the presence of some substances contained in them, such as some vitamins, which act almost, we could say, as stimulants of the immune system.

Beware, variety is, however, the key to proper nutrition. Eating just one of these foods won't be enough to help fight the flu, even if you eat it constantly. Pay attention to the portions and the recommended daily intake so that you don't get too much or too little vitamin.

Here is which food and spice we recommend:

1. Citrus fruits

The vitamin C contained in them helps build your immune system. Vitamin C is believed to increase the production of white blood cells. These are crucial for fighting infections. Among the citrus fruits we mention:

grapefruit, oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes, clementines

2. Red peppers

Speaking of vitamin C, red peppers contain twice the vitamin than citrus fruits. They are also a rich source of beta carotene which helps keep eyes and skin healthy.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in vitamins A, C and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber. Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on the table. The key to keeping their power intact, however, is to cook them using short cooking times.

4. Spinach

Spinach is not only rich in vitamin C, but it is also an excellent source of numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which can increase the body's ability to fight infections. Also in this case it is advisable to limit cooking times.

5. Garlic

The immune-boosting properties of garlic appear to come from a strong concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

6. Turmeric

This spice has been used for years in particular as an anti-inflammatory, thanks to its active ingredient, curcumin, which is also a powerful antioxidant.

7. Sage

Sage is an aromatic herb that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat viral infections.

Its properties are mostly attributed to compounds such as carnosic acid and triterpenes (amirine, betulin, crategolic acid and 3-hydroxy-ursolic acid).

8. Lemon balm

Lemon balm extract is a concentrated source of powerful essential oils and plant compounds that have antiviral activity such as polyphenolic acids and polysaccharides.

9. Peppermint

Peppermint is known to have powerful antiviral qualities and commonly added to teas, extracts and tinctures intended for the natural treatment of viral infections.

Its leaves and essential oils contain active components, including menthol and rosmarinic acid, which have antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity.

10. Echinacea

Echinacea is one of the most used ingredients in herbal medicine for its extraordinary health properties. Many parts of the plant, including its flowers, leaves and roots, are used for natural remedies.

In fact, Echinacea purpurea, a variety that produces cone-shaped flowers, has been used by Native Americans to treat a wide range of conditions, including viral infections.

Numerous test-tube studies suggest that some varieties of echinacea, including E. pallida, E. angustifolia, and E. purpurea, are particularly effective in fighting viral infections such as herpes and the flu.

Notably, E. purpurea is also believed to have immune-boosting effects.

11. Licorice

Licorice has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and other natural practices for centuries.

Glycyrrhizin, liquoritigenin and glabridin are just some of the active ingredients in licorice that have powerful antiviral properties.

Laboratory studies show that licorice root extract is effective against certain conditions including coronavirus infections related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19), which causes a severe type of pneumonia.

12. Astragalus

Astragalus is a popular flowering herb in traditional Chinese medicine. It boasts Astragalus Polysaccharide (APS), which has remarkable immune-boosting and antiviral qualities.

13. Ginger

Ginger has been shown to have remarkable antiviral activity due to its high concentration of potent plant compounds.

In fact, specific compounds in ginger, such as gingerols and zingerone, have been found to inhibit viral replication and prevent viruses from entering host cells.

You can find the best food supplements of all the foods mentioned at this link .

Alternatively you can choose only natural products by clicking here .

Remember that keeping your gut healthy is essential for our immune system to respond well to pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. If you are lactose intolerant do not inflame the intestines, use an enzyme supplement such as Lactosolution 15000 to digest foods with lactose well!

Bibliography

• Rodrigo Arreola et al. “Immunomodulation and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Garlic Compounds”. J Immunol Res. 2015
• Hudson JB. "Applications of the phytomedicine Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) in infectious diseases." J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012
• Rajesh Arora et al. "Potential of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Preventive Management of Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Pandemic: Thwarting Potential Disasters in the Bud" Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011.
• Cinatl et al. "Glycyrrhizin, an active component of liquorice roots, and replication of SARS-associated coronavirus." Lancet. 2003
• Lihong Shi et al. "Astragalus Polysaccharide Protects Astrocytes from Being Infected by HSV-1 through TLR3 / NF-κB Signaling Pathway" Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014