How your diet can boost your immune system

Feeding your body certain foods may help keep your immune system strong. Preventing colds, the flu and many other common infections will be better compared to curing them.

Lack of nutrients can lead to malnourishment, which increases the risk of becoming ill, as well as the duration of an illness.

Staying at home allows us to reassess our eating habits, and to take back control over the food we consume and how it is prepared.

Here are some meals to include in our diet as they serve as a powerful immune system boosters.

Red bell peppers

Most times there’s an assumption that citrus fruits have the most vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable. Red bell peppers contain almost 3 times as much vitamin C as a normal orange. These peppers are also a rich source of beta carotene.

Vitamin C may help you maintain healthy skin apart from boosting your immune system. Beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A, helps keep your eyes and skin healthy.

Garlic

Checking this out almost every cuisine in the world has garlic found in them. It adds a little zest to food and it’s a must-have for your health.

Garlic has been recognised in time past for its importance and value in fighting infections. It may also help in the vascular system of the body (slowing down the hardening of the arteries, and there’s weak evidence that it helps lower blood pressure.

Garlic’s immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

Citrus fruits

One common consideration for most people after they have caught a cold is Vitamin C. This is because it helps build up your immune system.

Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections.

Getting this vitamin is easy because almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it’s easy to add a squeeze of this vitamin to any meal.

Popular citrus fruits include:

• grapefruit
• oranges
• clementines
• tangerines
• lemons
• limes

Your body doesn’t produce or store it, so you need daily vitamin C for continued health. The recommended daily amount for most adults is:

• 75 mg for women
• 90 mg for men

If you opt for supplements, avoid taking more than 2,000 milligrams (mg) a day.

When there’s cold keep in mind that while vitamin C might help recover quicker.

Ginger

If you are the type who sometimes get certain inflammations you may turn to ginger.

It is one major ingredient most people turn to after getting sick. Ginger may help decrease inflammation which can help reduce a sore throat, mouth sore and inflammatory illnesses. Ginger may help with nausea as well.

Yoghurt

Not just the everywhere yoghurt. It is helpful if you consider getting plain yoghurts rather than the kind that are flavoured and loaded with sugar. Healthy fruits, as well as little quantities of honey, can help sweeten plain yoghurt .

Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and is thought to boost our body’s natural defences against diseases. A great source of vitamin D is yoghurt. Selecting quality over quantity will help so try to select brands fortified with this vitamin.

Papaya

Yh Pawpaw. It is another fruit loaded with vitamin C. In a single medium fruit, you can find the daily recommended amount of vitamin C.

Papin ( a digestive enzyme ) is also contained in Papayas as it has anti-inflammatory effects.

Papayas have decent amounts of potassium, magnesium, and folate, all of which are beneficial to your overall health.

Eat well, live well. One natural advantage we have against certain illness is food. Knowing what to eat, when to eat, and balancing will go a long way to help in protecting you and your family from the flu, cold, and other illnesses.