Foods to Empower your Immune System
MUSHROOMS
Like I spoke about in last weeks blog post (Superfoods, what make them super and how you can use them) mushrooms are a great immune boosting food. In particular Reishi, Shitake and Cordyceps are filled with immune boosting properties. For this reason mushrooms should be a staple in your diet, support in your body all year round, not just in winter. have them with your sunday brunch, in soups, stir-frys, grated into bolognese, made into burgers…thy are so versatile and yummy!! I find that mushrooms absorb the flavours they are cooked with so no matter what your making they are sure to be yummy :)
VITAMIN C: CAPSICUM
We all know that Vitamin C is great for our immune system. But we don't need to live off orange juice to get our daily dose. In fact compared to other foods oranges don't contain all that much vitamin C. Red bell peppers in particular are a great source of Vitamin C, however when they are cooked they loose some of this vitamin. So when it comes to Vitamin C raw is best…or as close to raw as possible.
kale, broccoli, citrus fruits and kiwi fruits are also really high in Vitamin c. So step away from the orange juice, particularly if you are unwell, as the sugar content is going to dampen your immune system further.
WATER
Water is essential for keeping our immune system healthy and working efficiently. When we are well hydrated our body is able to constantly clear the wastes from our body. If we are not drinking enough water then these wastes that are generated in normal bodily processes will accumulate and dampen our immune function, because our immune cells will have to deal with this waste rather than the harmful pathogens that may be invading our otherwise healthy body. I hope this makes sense, but water is needed to essentially put a fire out…the fire being the illness…and if there isn't enough water then the fire will continue to ben until it runs out of fuel.
FERMENTED FOODS
Considering around 70% of our immune system is in our digestive system we want to make sure our gut is being looked after to help maintain good health all year round, and in particular the winter months when colds are running rife.
Incorporating fermented foods into your diet is a cheap and easy way to increase the beneficial bacteria in your gut. fermented foods are like a probiotic capsule but in food form.
Fermented foods include:
Yogurt (kefir especially)
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Kombucha
Miso
HONEY
Raw honey, in particular Manuka Honey has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, making it a great one to keep in the cupboard. You can use it as preventative by dissolving a teaspoon in lemon water daily or use it symptomatically to help soothe a sore throat. An easy, and yummy food that you can use to help ward off the common cold this winter
GARLIC
Garlic again has great antibiotic properties and has been traditionally used for hundreds of years for preventing and treating ailments. You can have it in food, by the clove (if you can stand it!!) or in capsule form. Its a great preventative way to boost your immune system but can also be sued symptomatically to help reduce the duration of an illness. If you are suffering fem bronchitis you can even rub some crushed garlic into your feet and let sit for a while and it will help to bring up any excess mucous. ***you will smell it through your pores/breath by putting it on your feet so don’t do it around a social engagement..put it off until after you've had coffee with that guy you've been eyeing off, ok? ;)
GINGER
Ginger is a great warming herb as well as a herb that is going to get the mucous flowing…in a good way. Ginger helps to break down mucous so if your really congested ginger is for you! Its a circulatory stimulant as well, so aids the clearance of wastes by helping the blood move around your body, similar principle to water as mentioned above
Karah is available for consultations in Ocean Grove, Geelong and Melbourne. You can keep up to date on everything health by liking her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/karahmnaturopath , following her on instagram @belyhealth , or visiting her website www.karahmclarennaturopath.com
Peninsula Family Medical Practice, Ocean Grove. Ph 03 52562001
Aura Health & Beauty, Geelong. Ph 03 52433966
A Peace of Health Clinic, Melbourne CBD. Ph 0396633665
