Using food to health thyself!
Your body is one of the most complex machines on the face of the Earth. It requires fuel to keep it moving.
The food that you consume is the fuel that keeps your body in tip top shape.
It is common for people to move through the paces of life, without taking too much care for the food they consume on a daily basis.
If you’re feeling under the weather or the elements are getting to you, one way you can re-adjust your body is to take a look at your diet!
And that does not mean you have to go a diet – far from it.
It’s all about incorporating different types of food to boost your immunity and fix your body.
- Get some citrus in your bowl
Most people feel the need to get vitamin C in their diet after they’ve actually caught a cold, but did you know that adding vitamin C into your diet can help boost your immune system.
Vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells.
So next time you’re in, grab some oranges, lemons, limes or grapefruit.
- It’s tea time
Green tea and black tea are packed with antioxidants.
Green tea has high levels of epigallocatechin gallate – a really high level of antioxidant.
It’s also a great source of the amino acid L-theanine, which aids in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.
- Adding those bases
Did you know that garlic and ginger are two of the best things to help reduce sickness?
Early civilisations used garlic to help fight infection, and has also been thought to lower blood pressure and slow down the hardening of the arteries.
Ginger helps decrease inflammation, which can help reduce a sore throat and other types of inflammatory sicknesses.
- Go mushroom-crazy
Mushrooms are like nature’s immunity booster. For centuries, people have relied on the healing properties of the mushroom to boost their immunities.
Studies have shown that mushrooms increase the production and activity of the white blood cells in your body, which is a great thing when you are looking to fight infection.
Shiitake, maitake and reishi mushrooms are said to have the biggest amount of benefit for the body.
- Find those live cultures
One of the best ways to boost your immunity is to increase your intake of probiotics.
You can take a probiotic supplement, or you could opt for a natural yoghurt. The live active cultures found in yoghurt keeps your tummy and intestinal tract, free of disease-causing germs.
Try swapping out your normal breakfast for some fresh yoghurt with fruit.
- Go for the traditional chicken soup
It’s not just an old wives’ tale – chicken soup is actually both good for the soul, and for your insides.
A recent study found that most chicken soups block the migration of inflammatory white cells, which helps stem the spread of a cold.
Add in some garlic and onion, and you’ve got yourself one mighty infection-fighting meal.
- That sweet, sweet potato
Your skin is your first line of defence in the fight against infection and bacteria. Therefore, it is important that you also invest time in protecting your skin.
Increasing your Vitamin A intake helps your skin keep strong and healthy.
Add some sweet potato into your diet, as well as carrots, squash, canned pumpkin or cantaloupe.