5 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System
When you take precautions to keep your immune system running on high, you can skip the tissues and even natural cold remedies, and coast without a second thought. Here are 5 ways to supercharge and strengthen your immune system all year round.
1. Strengthen Your Immune System – Eliminate Sugar
There are many ways to boost your immune system, but eliminating sugar is one of the first steps. Sugar puts a serious damper on your immune system, in addition to increasing your risk of disease. When the recommended daily sugar intake is 25 grams and a single bottle of Coke contains as much as 60 grams, we know the modern diet is way too immersed in the sweet stuff.
If you want to seriously boost your health and reduce your risk of numerous health issues like obesity and diabetes, seriously consider reducing sugar intake. Opt for a bit of honey or a natural sweetener like Stevia instead.
2. Herbal Teas
Many people get out herbal tea when they are already feeling ill. But many herbs can do wonders for boosting immune function before you’re hit with sickness. Try Echinacea, elderberry, peppermint tea, green tea, and even ginger throughout the day and before going to bed.
3. Green Smoothies and Juicing
Have a produce-packed smoothie once daily to up your overall intake of plant foods and provide a healthy dose of nutrients for your immune system. Include at least one leafy green vegetable (spinach, kale) and one good source of vitamin C (a little orange juice, pineapple, or lime). These aren’t only good for you, they are fun to make.
4. Expose Yourself (No, Not Like That!)
When your body is exposed to germs, it learns how to better fight them of and protect itself, ultimately boosting immunity. This is part of the problem with the overabundance of antibacterial soaps, gels, and lotions. Use plain soap and forgo antibacterial gels unless absolutely necessary. Breathe the same air as other people and don’t be afraid to touch a doorknob once in a while. Or, play in the dirt!
Related Read: How to Prevent a Cold
5. Eat Garlic
Garlic is an amazingly wonderful immune-boosting food that no one should ignore. The food has anti-cancer properties, fights inflammation, is great for detoxing, and possesses anti-infection, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Don’t just cook with garlic though—eat it raw if you can. Coating it in raw honey can help make the pungent root more palatable.
Do you know about all of these solutions to strengthen your immune system, but never actually partake in them?! In order to stay healthy, you have healthy habits. Tis the season for colds and flu, but you don’t have to be a statistic this year. Eat right, get active, and keep your immune system functioning as it should.
If you do get sick, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and consume some immune-boosting foods. Lastly, here are 5 foods NOT to eat while sick or battling a cold.
put garlic through a press, or mince finely, spread on a slice of bread with some olive oil, top with chopped parsley and grated parmesan, and voilá! delish!
yum, sounds good
oo la la!
Great Post. Drinking my smoothie right now as I read this. Kale, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, Lime, Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamin C, Beet crystals, Living Fuel Super Berry. Absolute Yum. I also take Invision Ionic Silver and Oregano Oil to kill all the buggies as well as Vitamin D. So far it's been a healthy winter season for me here in the Northeast.
Carey – just such a delicious combo and I've had it myself, actually.
Wrapping garlic bulbs as they are and baking in the toaster over, cooks in no time and eat them straight out of their peel is a no work sort of approach, as well.
As much as I love parmesan cheese though, I have to say that it's the most salt laden of all, I believe.
Much as I enjoy it as you stated, it will make you acidic rather than alkaline which of course defeats the purpose of this healthy little snack. SO, either minimize the parmesan or do as i do having tucked into some hagendaaz with perhaps a cup of coffee (high acid combo again). Savour what you enjoy and then suffer (a little) with the antedote that will get you back on an alkaline track.
That would be Bragg's organic Apple Cider Vinegar ( two teaspoons in some water – up to 8 ozs) if this is too hard to handle then add less water and drink quickly, like a shooter!
For those who cannot get used to the taste, funnily enough it's usually men – my little trick is to put the ACV in apple juice (as long as it's low or non acidic, such as Martinelli which is just soft and divine) and tastes fine.
wonderful information
5 ways to strengthen your immune system
Many people I know are severely allergic to both raw garlic and raw onions. I get migraines and stomach distress from raw eating raw garlic. Some Eastern Religions claim that eating raw garlic creates anger. IMO raw garlic stinks and makes people sicker. Ewwww.
I breathed the same air in a crowded grocery store and caught the flu. If you're going to touch doorknobs try not to touch you're nose or mouth.
touching door knobs is the stupidist thing you can do.
Well did I learn something.
I have been cooking using garlic for years, now after reading your article I'll add the garlic last. Eat it raw. Wow I never knew.
Thanks
2hazelgree, you need to get your head out of the sand and educate yourself. Charles Magus is speaking the truth that you can not handle. Quit listening to Fox news, CNN, Msnbc and the other networks because they are owned by the Dark Souls of the Elites who only tell you what they want you know. Take responsibility and quit allowing yourself to be brainwashed.
Garlic Butter
1 cup butter
2 heads garlic
Soften butter,peel garlic finely,Mix together should look lumpy:if not add more garlic !
I have to share my most versatile Garlic Medicine method. High amounts of raw garlic is my current discovery for eliminating multiple systemic infections which are decades long and resistant to multiple drugs. I had a longstanding infection in my eyes, head, neck, lymph system from many decades ago infected root canal “cavitations” (tooth extractions which sealed over bad bacteria) and were threatening my life. I had tried everything including 2 years of antibiotics which ruined my mental health while allowing the creeping death to take over my life. One day I took the juicer screen off my (very low temperature) Twin Gear juicer and just pushed the carrots and garlic through. This produced a palatable mix of garlic and carrots (what I call the Medicinal Level of garlic which will kill anything) but it is without the stomach upset. Carrot salad (with garlic) is really quite good and I cannot explain why carrot as the carrier works so well, you will just have to try it. I eat it with a spoon, add when making tacos, throw into salads, and my favorite (religious daily) dish is this: one grapefruit peeled to leave lots of “white” on it for the bioflavonoids – cut up, sprinkle on some minced cilantro, throw on a handful of your high garlic grated carrot mix, grate a couple large thumbs of ginger root, and last but not least, throw in any sprouts you have on hand (my favorite is broccoli or radish/cress mix). This desert salad method of taking one’s garlic dose is so delicious you will crave it. Best of all, after literally decades of a festering systemic infection which threatened my life, raw garlic saved me!
I’ve had great help from colloidal silver (silver hydrosol) in boosting natural immunity.
We also need sunlight for our immune systems. Sensible sun exposure (without sunscreen) is necessary for vitamin D production. Deficiency in vitamin D can cause multiple medical problems, and can even contribute to cancer. The amount one needs depends on their skin color, as dark-skinned people need more than fair-skinned people. Start small and don’t allow yourself to burn!
In the winter when the sun is sparse, most people should consider supplementation. I’ve had documented success with the sublingual vitamin D from Superior Source. Some people take cod liver oil but since that also has vitamin A which competes with vitamin D in the same receptors, one may not get enough vitamin D. There are a few different sublingual forms of vit. D on the market, including liquid sprays. Some combine vitamin D with K since they work in concert with each other in the body. Keeping calcium and magnesium in balance is also necessary when supplementing vitamin D.
Medicinal mushrooms are also great for the immune system and can be safely fed to just about anyone (even pets). Those with auto-immune diseases may want to avoid Cordyceps since it’s well-known to stimulate the immune system greatly. These people should choose mushrooms that are more modulating like Reishi (Ganoderma).
You forgot SUNSHINE!
You are pretty messed up & yr way thinking will certain cull the population because flu shots definately save lives ..some people are less tolerante. Dont think my family doctor is out to kill me or my family..Take a pill & chill””
Hey manley, as I cruised through the comments here, your comments stood out. Do you yourself not believe that good nutrition can greatly benefit your immunity?
Or, are you just some pathetic troll that talks sh** and puts people down, and gives no proof of “your own claims”?
Well, let me give some proof my “trollish” friend…..
Here is a link to the “actual website” of the “CDC” itself, which lists the ingredients of the flu vaccine. I highly suggest that you visit and see for yourself. Are any of these ingredients toxic? *gasp*
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/vaccine-decision/ingredients.html
Oh yeah, may I also suggest you seek the use of a good “spell-check” program too? When you get a chance..no rush…just whenever, please look up the slang definition of “douche”.
Just saying.
Unfortunately, the cdc has removed many pages of incriminating information because the truth was setting free too many readers!
My doc refuses to give flu shots. He believes the negs greatly outweigh the non-existing pos.
I am British and live in Thailand. Here garlic is considered a wonder food too.
I would ask your reads to consider two exceedingly strong herbs , sage and parsley. These are very old herbs used here for health and many more things, in the west and in particular in America they are solely used for stuffing and decoration of dishes, they are far far more than that I assure you all. Please read all about their health giving benefits. thank you roger H.