Stay Healthy With These Immune Boosting Foods

The best way to keep your immune system strong is to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, including several immune boosting foods every day. Eat at least 50% raw. Don’t overcook your cooked food, it destroys the immune enhancing properties. Buy organic or pesticide-free foods and season with immune boosting herbs and spices.

Here are 11 immune-boosting foods to keep your immune system working for you:

• Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal and increases immune function. It’s also a good source of selenium, an important trace element, and sulfur, which is important for healthy liver function.
  
• Onions are also a good source of sulfur and contain the same properties as garlic
  
• Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, are good sources of betacarotene and help protect against free-radical damage. They also contain vitamin C and calcium.
  
• Spinach and other leafy greens also contain beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium.
  
• Orange vegetables, like sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and squash are a good source of vitamin A
  
• Raisins, kiwi fruit, blueberries and oranges are good sources of vitamin C. To increase the amount of vitamin C from your oranges, thinly peel the skin off with a knife, leaving the white bioflavonoid rich inner peel.
  
• Chinese cabbage is a good source of vitamin A
  California avocados are rich in vitamin A and potassium and also contain folic acid and magnesium.
  
• Shiitake and maitake mushrooms increase the body’s production of white blood cells, which are part of the immune system
  
• Ginger helps the body fight off infection and has traditionally been used in treating colds and flu
  
• Turmeric enhances the immune system and has a detoxifying effect
  
• Horseradish contains oils that have demonstrated antibiotic properties and has been effective against infections
  

If you find it just too difficult to include an abundance of fresh whole immune boosting foods, or would just like to add a little extra antioxidant protection, I recommend Greens First which is an antioxidant rich whole food powder that contains the equivalent of 10 servings of fruits and vegetables in one scoop. It tastes so good that it’s guaranteed you’ll love the taste or your money back.

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Christine H. Farlow is the Your Personal Online Healthy Eating Coach. For more healthy eating information, visit HealthyEatingAdvisor.com.