Hi everyone,
We are all very aware of the need to keep our immune system in good working order at the moment. I have compiled a quick list of immune boosting foods and some natural remedies that might help keep you healthy or help fight a cold or viral infection if you are unlucky enough to contract one. Obviously you will consider if you need to go to the GP but here are some home remedies to try as well.
You might notice something here that you could easily add to your daily diet, or feel better about eating something that you already eat but didn’t realise how good it was! Please ask our staff if you need tips for cooking anything that is new to you. On www.organico.ie we have a lot of great soup recipes that use things like sweet potatoes and pumpkins if you would like to add them to your diets.
Good foods to help keep you healthy:
Manuka Honey (anti-bacterial) a teaspoon of number 10 taken every day
All the greens – organic broccoli, kale, watercress, nastursium leaves, pursalane, parsley …all good sources of vitamin C
Onions, garlic, leeks and chives are all immune-boosting and are good sources of vitamin C, potassium, selenium, and sulphur. Try to get local fresh leeks for maximum benefits.
Cider Vinegar (1 tbsp in warm water every morning – with manuka honey if you like) is very alkalising
Foods rich in calcium: carrots, turnips, celery, parsnips, figs, brazil nuts, pine nuts, almonds and pecans. Calcium helps strengthen the immune system.
Good quality juices are a very valuable source of vitamins and minerals, preferably fresh pressed or at least without sugar. If you don’t have a juicer try some of the better bottled ones:
Organic Blackcurrant Juice, Beetroot Juice, Blueberry juice, carrot juice or grapefruit – all diluted with water and drunk in regular small quantites.
Organic Chamomile or Elderflower tea with manuka honey is a good evening drink
Green Tea is full of anti-oxidents, but it does contain caffeine so don’t go overboard!
Carrageen moss made into a drink with water, lemon and honey – good source of minerals and very soothing
Echinacea Tea from Dr Stuart is also a good daily drink
Anything orange – sweet potato, carrots, pumpkins – all contain beta-caroteins
Shitake mushrooms added to soups or vegetable dishes (available dried) have been shown to boost red blood cell production
All probiotic yoghurts boost our digestive defences(a few spoonfuls of ‘live’ yoghurt with some fruit every day is great, but avoid the drinks as they contain lots of sugar)
Oats and barley contain beta-glucan, a type of fibre which has strong immune boosting actions in both humans and animals. So stick with your morning porridge! I have started adding cinnamon, sunflower seeds and manuka honey to mine on the advice of a friend. It tastes great and is even more nutritious.
Let me kow what you are currently doing to help boost your immune system!