A healthy immune system is vital as it prevents your body from a variety of illnesses. Although taking medicines may protect you from certain illnesses, there are other factors such as stress and change of weather that make you susceptible to falling sick. Boosting your immune system is the most effective way of protecting yourself from illnesses and is not as difficult as it may seem.
Eating nutritious foods and having the right diet greatly boost your immune system; this article guides you through some of the immune-boosting foods and drinks that you should add to your diet.
Yogurt
One of the top immune-boosting foods is yogurt, particularly those that contains healthy bacteria commonly referred to as probiotics. These healthy bacteria help keep your gut as well as the intestines free from disease-causing germs. It is advisable to always check the label carefully before buying your yogurt to ensure that it contains these healthy bacteria.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables that you canadd in your diet; it contains a wide range of antioxidants and vitamins. These antioxidants and vitamins are very essential in boosting your immune system. To maintain its immune-boosting capabilities, it should be slightly cooked; overcooking destroys these vitamins and antioxidants.
Strawberries
Strawberries are yet another immune-boosting food; their high content of vitamin C may help boost the production of white blood cells in your body. Taking half a cup of strawberries daily is sufficient to satisfy the RDA of vitamin C proposed by different health organizations. Throw them into your protein shake for an antioxidant boost.
Green Tea
Green tea contains ingredients such as plant antioxidants called polyphenols, which provide immune-boosting benefits. It has been found that drinking a cup of green tea daily greatly helps in the functioning of the immune system. To get the most out of green tea, you should add water that is almost boiling to your green tea bag and leave the tea bag for at least two minutes. Never add milk because it contains protein that binds with the plant antioxidants interfering with the tea’s immune-boosting abilities.
Protein Shakes
Protein shakes are very essential in boosting your immune system, however, you should note that not all protein shakes do that. There are certain protein shakes available in the markets that are made to improve your immune system. Such protein shakes contain ingredients that improve your immune system functionality. These drinks contain a high level of protein thus making them vital for repair and growth making it easy for your immune system to build immune cellsAll the above foods and drinks are very effective in boosting your immune system and should be included in your diet. It is advisable to mix fruits and vegetables in your diet to ensure that your diet contains all the needed minerals and vitamins. If you include these foods and drinks in your diet you will be surprised how effectively you ward off any illness or diseases.
Author Bio
This post has been written by Adam Jones. He loves to write about diet for fitness. He recommends low-calorie protein bars for boosting immunity.
