7 Tasty Ways to Boost Your Immune System

The strength and condition of your immune system will influence how healthy you stay throughout the year and will determine whether or not you catch colds or viruses that are circulating around. This is especially important in January, and particularly this January, where much of the U.S. is getting hit with extreme cold. Even if you have a weak immune system, there are several ways to boost your immunity to ensure that you feel well and can thrive.

To boost your immune system over time, there are a few tasty ways to strengthen the body with the help of the foods that you consume.

Eat Yogurt

Yogurt contains probiotics, which are known to increase the healthy bacteria that is present in the gut to ward off germs that can cause diseases. Consume seven ounces of yogurt each day to boost your immunity, which stimulates white blood cells in the body due to the live and active cultures that are present.^[1] You can enhance the flavor of the yogurt by adding fresh strawberries, blueberries, and cherries to the food to create a variety. Adding granola will add extra crunch and texture that makes it the perfect food to take with you to eat on-the-go or enjoy for breakfast to increase your overall health.

Add Garlic

Garlic doesn’t just add extra flavor to various dishes, but it’s also known to strengthen the immune system because it contains allicin, which is an active ingredient that fights bacteria and infection that can develop in the body. Incorporate up to six cloves each week into your diet to reduce your risk of stomach cancer by 50 percent and prevent colorectal cancer by 30 percent. You can also add two cloves of crushed garlic to your casseroles or meat each day to increase your intake.

Reach for a Cup of Tea

Natural tea that contains herbs is effective at combating viruses due to the amino acids that it contains. Black and green tea are considered to be healthy options, which both contain L-theanine. Opt for decaf versions of the tea and drink a few cups each day. If you want to obtain more antioxidants, you can bob the tea bags up and down in water to infuse your beverage with a substance that will prove to keep you healthy and can increase your lifespan with a tasty drink. Here is a decent list of teas that can help your immune system.

Enjoy a Cup of Bone Broth

Bone broth is increasing in popularity for its ability to strengthen the gut and reduce IBS symptoms while also warding off illnesses with a boost in the immune system. In case you didn’t know, there are dozens of bone broth powder benefits, including promoting healthy bones and a healthy gut, and reducing inflammation in the body.^[2] You can make bone broth in a crock pot by cooking bones with vegetables and water, or use bone broth powder that is easy to mix with water. It’s most effective in the body when it’s consumed in the morning and will also seal holes that are present in the intestines for those who suffer from leaky gut syndrome. The bone marrow in the broth is considered to be a superfood due to the high concentration of minerals that it contains.

Bake a Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes can fight viruses and bacteria that enter the body with the vitamin A that it contains. This will allow the skin to stay healthy and can restore the connective tissue in the body with the beta-carotene that is turned into vitamin A. Try to include half of a serving into your diet each day and incorporate other orange foods into your diet with canned pumpkin, cantaloupe, squash, and carrots.

Eat Citrus Fruits

Clementines, limes, oranges, and grapefruit are all effective at infusing the body with vitamin C and can allow you to bounce back from the common cold or an infection to ensure that you feel better and stronger in a shorter period of time.

Consume Mushrooms

Mushrooms have been used for several centuries to boost the immune system by increasing the activity of white blood cells that are present in the body.^[3] The white blood cells become more aggressive, which can prevent infections and allow them to heal at a faster rate once they develop. You can incorporate different types of mushrooms into your daily diet with different types that are available, which includes reishi, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms. Try to consume at least 1/4 of an ounce each day to ensure that it has a positive effect on your immune system.

Featured photo credit: Dr. Oz Blog via blog.doctoroz.com