If you’ve got a busy schedule, you may be tempted to simply take a multivitamin or vitamin C capsules and hope for the best when it comes to your immune system. There are several natural ingredients and foods that can strengthen your immune system. While, they can also keep you from getting sick, especially during cold and flu season. These immune boosting foods are also especially beneficial during the pandemic since they can decrease the chances of getting sick.
Benefits of Immune Boosting Foods
Several foods you can easily include in your meals offer tremendous health benefits that will improve your well-being significantly. Some healthy foods don’t even require cooking, which makes them easy to include in your snacks for the day. This is helpful whether you’re working from home or are an essential worker.
Here are four immune-boosting foods you can incorporate into your diet today.
Turmeric
Turmeric has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation. It’s important to include turmeric in your diet during the colder months of the year. This is usually when your body needs an immune boost the most. When you consume turmeric regularly, you’ll increase your body’s capacity to absorb antioxidants that shields you from environmental free radicals. Turmeric has also been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and can improve the health of the brain.
You can easily add turmeric to your diet by sprinkling ground turmeric in your steamed vegetables. You can also include it in your spice rubs for chicken and fish. Turmeric can also be consumed in capsule form or as a tea. You can take turmeric shots throughout the day to enhance your immune system as well. Be sure to pack this superfood in your lunchbox or briefcase along with your mask and alcohol free hand sanitizer.
Yogurt
Whether you make your own yogurt or buy your favorite brand of yogurt from the grocery store, this snack is a great ingredient to include in your diet if you want to boost your immune system. Yogurt is filled with beneficial probiotics that are essential for the health of your gut, which contributes to your overall well-being. Yogurt is also high in calcium and protein, so you can add it to your breakfast. While you can add raw berries and nuts, or enjoy it as a healthy snack to hold you over between meals. If you’re allergic to dairy or you’re following a vegan diet, you can consume yogurt made from almond or coconut milk. Vegan yogurt still contains probiotics, but the nutritional value of non-dairy yogurt may vary slightly.
Almonds
Studies prove that almonds, especially almond skins, can boost the immune system and make it easier for your body to fight off illness. Almonds are also a healthy source of vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E also helps to maintain the enzymes that are a natural part of your immune system.
Almonds are also protein-rich, which means you can enjoy raw almonds as a snack or use them as a topping for hot or cold cereal. Almonds also make a great topping for sauteed veggies and salads.
Carrots
Carrots are a tasty vegetable to eat cooked or raw, and they have lots of health benefits. The carrot is filled with vitamins and minerals and are also high in fiber. These orange veggies are also an ideal part of a healthy diet because they are high in vitamin C, which makes your immune system stronger.
Whether you want to eat carrots raw, enjoy them with a sweet dip such as cinnamon and honey or peanut butter, or prefer to eat carrots with ranch, carrots are a wonderful way to fill your diet with more fiber and nutrients. You can also include carrots in your salads or sautee them as a side dish with dinner.
Conclusion
During cold and flu season, and especially during the pandemic, it’s important to keep your immune system as strong as possible. This is also very important for people with conditions such as diabetes. You can eat the foods mentioned above, in addition to getting enough sleep and making an effort to reducing stress. You may also want to start planning your meals for the week. Therefore, include immune-boosting foods so you can make your health a priority despite your busy schedule.
Amy Sloane is an alum of Oregon State University where she studied marketing and business. She spends her free time writing and is a knitting enthusiast. Amy loves reading, cooking, and spending time with her dog, Molly. Follow her on Twitter to read her latest blogs! @AmySloane2