Your immune system is your body’s natural defense against illness and disease. Keeping your immune system healthy will ensure that your body will know exactly what to do when you are exposed to a cold, the flu, or other infections.
The health of your immune system will determine your overall health, how often you get sick, and how well you handle sickness.
Use these tips and tricks to keep your immune system healthy and able to handle it when that cold attacks.
Immune Boosters: Food
You can eat your way to a healthy immune system. The saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away has some truth. Eating more organic fruits and veggies on a daily basis will boost your immune system, naturally. Foods that are high in vitamin C and D will help ward off those inevitable germs you encounter.One of my favorite ways to do this is to make a smoothie in my blender. Here’s a great recipe:
- 1 organic Honeycrisp apple
- 1 organic Bosc pear
- 2 stalks organic celery
- 1–2 organic carrots
- 6–8 leaves of organic romaine lettuce
- 1 organic green pepper
- splash of organic lime juice
- sprinkle of organic cayenne pepper
These “green drinks” not only taste great, but they will also increase your energy, decrease mental fog, boost your immunity, and can aid in weight loss. This is one great way to get a ton of immune system support that works for kids and adults.
Other foods that act as immunity boosters because they are loaded with vitamins and minerals include green pepper, spinach, kale, onion, garlic, lemon, cinnamon, and raw cacao.
Besides eating well, at the first sign of a sniffle, headache, or that feeling like you are dragging a little, there are several things you can do to help your body combat and recover from a cold.
Lemon and Cayenne
Squeeze half an organic lemon into hot water and sprinkle in some cayenne pepper. Organic lemon is high in antioxidants called bioflavonoids which are credited with lemon’s disease-fighting powers. Drink your lemon water daily or even several times per day.Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar, contains polyphenols, another antioxidant that is also found in fruit, vegetables, wine, coffee, and chocolate. These compounds can help your body deal with disease-causing free radicals and a spoonful of apple cider vinegar a day can be useful during cold season.Vitamin C and Sleep
Researchers generally agree that high doses of vitamin C can shorten the duration of a cold. Sleep is also critical as your body is repairing each cell overnight. Sleep also allows your body to focus on fighting infection rather than dealing with all the daily activities you engage in.
Tara Hantske is a health advocate and former Division 1 athlete who knows first-hand the power and importance of the mind-body-health connection to success and optimal health. You can read her articles at Tara Hantske Wellness. This article was originally published on Naturally Savvy.
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