Did you know we all have a personal bodyguard for our health? It’s our immune system. It safeguards our body from various diseases and maintains its proper functioning. But when the seasons change, our immunity takes a hit. We become more susceptible to infections, cold & flu and other diseases.
One way of protecting your immunity and also making it stronger is by consuming certain foods.
Here are a few immunity-boosting foods you should add to your diet right away.
Add a dash of citrus
Have a glass of lemonade, add an orange or a kiwi to your lunch, or squeeze some lime juice to your curry. As refreshing as it sounds, citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, kiwis, and limes are excellent immune system boosting food. They are a rich source of Vitamin C that strengthens the immune system. These fruits that boost immune system also helps in the adequate production of white blood cells that fight and protect our bodies from infections.
Ginger and Garlic
They not only enhance the taste of our dishes but also contain immunity-boosting properties. Garlic has antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. Ginger has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. To start off, replace the packaged ginger-garlic paste that you add to your dishes with a home-made paste of raw ginger and garlic. Add some ginger to your tea and rub a few cloves of garlic to your brown bed.
Vegetables to the rescue
Spinach and broccoli are rich sources of Vitamin C and E known to support the immune system. Spinach contains beta-carotene which helps increases the immune system’s ability to fight infections. It also contains flavonoids that are known to prevent the common cold. Broccoli is packed with antioxidants that boost the fighting ability of our immune system. Red bell peppers are also a great source of Vitamin C. You can stir fry these vegetables to make a healthy side dish.
Turmeric
Known for its rich colour and enticing aroma, turmeric is one of the most loved spices in India. We Indians love to add a dash of turmeric in our food. Apart from being a culinary favorite, it also has various medicinal properties. For ages, we have heard our elders tell us to have a glass of turmeric milk before bed. This is because turmeric has a compound called curcumin that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Yogurt
Greek yogurt, fat-free yogurt, fruit-flavoured yogurt and other variants of yogurt are flooding the market today. Yogurt is a good probiotic. Probiotics are nothing but the ‘good bacteria’ in our digestive system that keeps our gut healthy by fighting the ‘bad bacteria’. Replace your glass of flavored soda or canned juice with a serving of yogurt after your meal. You will soon notice the healthy changes that your body is experiencing.