Flu season is almost here. Along with drinking 8-10 ounces a day several sites agree that these foods can help keep your immune system strong and resilient! Yogurt! We have all heard of probiotics in yogurt; well they are actually healthy bacteria that keeps the intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. Studies have shown that eating yogurts rich in them can lead to an improved immune response by increasing the body’s white blood cell count. But pay attention to lactobacillus and bifidobacterium strains.
This is the kind of yogurt you should be buying. Tea! The next food I found that most sites agree is great for boosting your immune system is green tea. Along with being the second most consumed drink –after water of course – people who drank 5 cups of black tea a day for 2 weeks had 10 times more virus-fighting interferon in the blood than others who drank a placebo hot drink, as evident in a Harvard Study.
Starting drinking some tea with honey instead of coffee in the mornings and begin to feel the healthy benefits! Garlic! Garlic may be the miracle of the plant world; its properties ranging from medicinal to mystical to culinary. Ancient Egyptians considered garlic holy and used it as currency. Indeed, the pungent smell is a small price to pay for the health benefits garlic can confer. Studies suggest that garlic lovers who chow more than 6 cloves a week have 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer. It’s probably the easiest immune booster I’ve found to integrate into your meals.
There’s so much you can do with it! Chicken Soup! The nutrients in food are not meant to be consumed in a vacuum. The context in which the body encounters the healthy minerals and molecules is almost as important as the nutrients themselves, which may be why chicken soup is such a popular home remedy. It has everything and anything and is easy on the stomach.