Food is used by the body as fuel to perk up our immune system by helping it build new immune cells. The immune system consists of protective antibodies, proteins, and enzymes. They work as a team, to keep illness-causing invaders out. In fact, research suggests that providing your body with the right types of nutrients through a well-planned diet is one of the best ways to prevent colds, stomach ailments, the flu, and other illnesses.
More than fifty percent of the immune function and fifty percent of detoxification is found in the gut. Within the gut, there are substances called microorganisms, ( a community of microscopic organisms found living together, and working together to keep the body in a state of homeostasis; bacteria, fungi, viruses, and genes naturally live in our bodies and on our bodies). They protect our bodies and communicate with our brains and other body parts. These gut microorganisms play a major role in our immune function. Think of your immune system as your body’s army. It serves as protection against any foreign pathogens, (such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi), that may enter your body and cause it harm.
Here’s how it works: your immune system has a vast network of organs, proteins, and cells like your skin, bone marrow, blood, mucus, and other tissues. They all join forces to protect healthy cells from not-so-healthy ones. When a germ comes into your body, your immune system receives signals telling it that something isn’t quite right. At that point, your immune system, responds by sending your body’s front-line defense force of white blood cells to attack and destroy anything that is suspicious, risky, or dangerous. You don’t realize how hard your immune system works for you. It is on the job, working hard 24 hours a day.
Certain nutrients have been found to protect the immune system. It has been researched that zinc, vitamins A, B, B12, D, E, C, selenium, vitamin A, iron, and magnesium are all critical to the growth and function of the immune cells. Some foods that boost the immune system are blueberries, turmeric, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, ginger, and oily fish. Herbs that boost the immune are licorice, cinnamon, lavender, oregano, basil, maca root powder, echinacea, garlic, Chinese angelica, astragalus, ginseng, tea tree; as well as mushrooms, such as reishi, maitake, and shiitake. Essential oils that are very good for the immune system are; oregano, rosemary, frankincense, sandalwood, clove, cypress, lemon, thyme, lime, and lavender. If you travel or are at home these are the best oils for us. They can be used in an oil diffuser or by inhaling.
Here are a few other herbs and foods that are great for boosting the immune system. Add these herbs and foods to your diet:
1. Astragalus– This herb has been used in the Orient for thousands of years. Astragalus is a tonic herb. It is used during debility, weakness, and convalescence to revitalize severely immune-oppressed patients. It is a very good immune tonic. In China, it is used in soups, and in rice dishes. It also normalizes the blood pressure. It is good for colds, and flu, and it increases the metabolite.
Immune Boost Soup
Ingredients
5 cups water
1 cup shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
2 small yellow onions (minced)
1 cup celery (sliced)
1 cup carrots (sliced)
1 cup bell peppers (sliced)
1 tbsp. ginger (grated)
1 tsp. Turmeric
¼ tsp. black pepper
3–4 dried slices of astragalus root
5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 tbsp. coconut oil
Preparation
Heat water in a large pot. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, carrots, peppers, ginger, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and astragalus slices, and simmer for 1 hour (or longer if needed). Add raw garlic and coconut oil for the final 10 minutes of simmering. Remove astragalus slices from the soup before serving.
*Another version of the same recipe as above*:
Fry your onions in 2 tb of coconut oil, add the ginger, peppers, celery, spices, and garlic, add enough water to make a good soup, and lastly add the astragalus root. Cook this mixture for at least an hour, though a few hours would be best.
2. Immune Soup/ for COLDS and FEVER
Add all of the ingredients below to the pot. Fill the pot with water, and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours. Add chicken pieces or soup bones if you like.
1. tbsp. cumin powder
A few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves
3 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
1 onion, diced
1 bulb garlic (at least 10 cloves), minced
One piece of fresh ginger root grated
*chicken pieces/ soup bones
5 pieces sliced dried astragalus root
2 cups Reishi mushrooms or Shiitake
Add a pinch of cayenne
Put all of the above ingredients into a soup pot, and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours.
*Add chicken pieces or soup bones if you like.
3. Black currant
It is high in vitamins B1, B2, B5, and C. It also provides a good amount of manganese, calcium, iron, potassium, and other micronutrients, including water-soluble flavonoids. They reduce inflammation and increase the blood flow in the eyes. Studies have shown that black currant seed oil helps reduce cholesterol. It is also high in flavonoids. What are flavonoids? They are powerful nutrients. They are also called Anthocyanins- what do they do?
- lower blood pressure
- reduce heart disease
- lower cholesterol
- removes plaque
- prevents neurological diseases
- increases blood flow and activates brain function
- are anti-inflammatory
- slows cancer growth
Some examples of anthocyanins are:
Black and red grapes, red onions, purple cauliflower, red radishes, purple eggplant, black beans, black rice, cranberry juice, black plums.
4. Red Pepper
Red pepper is rich in many essential nutrients, including vitamin C, and like other spicy foods, it can support heart health, and a healthy metabolism, it helps with digestion, immune function, and more.
5. Kiwifruit
Kiwi contains antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamins K and E, potassium, copper, and folate. This fruit is beneficial for skin, respiratory illness, eye problems, gut health, heart problems, bone, and immune health. It also may be able to help with sleep.
6. Guava
It is a high-antioxidant fruit that provides a healthy dose of vitamin A and several minerals and B vitamins, in addition to vitamin C. As such, it’s great for the immune system, and guava has been shown to benefit blood pressure, digestion, blood sugar, heart health, fertility and more.
7. Green Bell Pepper
Green bell pepper nutrition is certainly a vitamin C powerhouse, and that’s why bell peppers are great for disease prevention and weight maintenance. These peppers also supply B vitamins, vitamin A and vitamin K.
8. Oranges
As a top vitamin C food, orange nutrition can do a lot for health. When you take into account that this extremely popular fruit also supplies plenty of folate, thiamine, potassium, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, fiber and magnesium- oranges can do everything from helping stave off and/or treating the common cold to potentially combating cancer, improving heart health, boosting brain function and keeping skin healthy.
9. Strawberries
Rich in antioxidants, strawberry nutrition has more than just vitamin C to tout. For example, strawberries provide a healthy dose of manganese, B vitamins, iron, potassium, and vitamin K, just to name some of its benefits.
This delicious fruit helps protect the body against cancer, heart disease, skin damage, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. Plus, strawberries are high in fiber and can aid detoxification.
10. Papaya
Rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K, papaya benefits digestion, and heart health. It’s also a great food to eat for people with asthma and has demonstrated an ability to fight viral infections.
11. Broccoli
It is one of the top vitamin C vegetables. It is nutritious and also supplies fiber; vitamins K, A, and B6; folate; manganese; potassium; phosphorus; magnesium; and calcium. It is also a very helpful cancer-fighting food.
12. Kale
This plant is a true superfood, the health benefits of kale stem from its high supply of vital micronutrients. It’s especially high in vitamin K and vitamin C. That’s why it’s so valuable for bone health, detoxing, boosting immunity, and promoting healthy development.
13. Pineapple
Pineapples are high in fiber. Research shows pineapple holds potential benefits for fertility, the heart, asthma sufferers, mental and health.
14. Brussels Sprouts
Brussel sprouts have strong anti-cancer effects. Brussels provides bone-building vitamin K, combats inflammation and heart disease.
15. Mango
Mango nutrition is bursting with vitamin C, along with fiber, antioxidants, copper, vitamin A, folate, B6, vitamin E, potassium, and vitamin K. It also provides zeaxanthin, quercetin, astragalin, and beta-carotene.
16. Lemon
Citrus fruits are among the top vitamin C foods. Historically used to treat and prevent scurvy. lemons also boost immune, heart, kidney, and skin health.
17. Shiitake Mushroom
Shiitake is excellent for the immune system. It has been used as a traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine for centuries. It increases stamina and stability, reduces inflammation, lowers cholesterol, lowers fevers, and alleviates arthritis, diabetes, and increases immune function. It also helps with weight loss by speeding up the metabolism. A tea made out of the mushrooms can be made or it can be added to soups. It neutralizes toxins and cancer-causing substances. It is also used in cosmetics as a wound-healing and skin-firming ingredient. Other mushrooms that support immune health are reishi, maitake, chaga, and cordyceps.
People who are on blood thinners should use caution because the mushroom has anti-clotting effects.
When eating fresh fruits and vegetables always look for organic, and always make sure they are in season. This helps to keep your body in tune with nature. It is very important to keep your immune system working as best you can. Make menus for yourself and follow them. It is best to remove processed foods, unnatural oils, and genetically modified foods from your diet. Follow a simple diet with foods that are easy to digest.
Resources: 1. Vegetariantimes.com 2. Detoxify or DIE, by Sherry A. Rogers, M.D 3. www.Clevelandclinic.org 4. www.draxe.com 5. www.alignprobiotics.com 6. www.learningherbs.com 7. www.food.com 8. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, by C. Norman Shealy M.D., Ph.D 9. Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC 10. www.webmd.com 11. www.healthline.com 12. Chinese System of Food Cures Preventions and Remedies, by Henry C. Lu 13. www.sciencedaily.com
Hakimah Raziya A. Mumin
