Which Superfoods Help Protect Your Immune System?

By Maire Malinky


Don't you work at having the best health you can? Most of us do. This is true of most folks, and it's absolutely normal. This is the reason we exercise. We strive to eat meals that are nutritious and balanced, as well as great tasting. For this reason, we chug down glass after glass of water throughout our day. We have been taught that this is what we must do to keep our body in optimum health.

But what if it is cold and flu season? Are the people at your workplace or school coming down with colds? Are you trying to avoid them so you don't get sick? Knowing how to boost your immune system is very important when situations like these crop up. Here are some foods you can eat to do just that.

T-cells are a white blood cells called lymphocytes and are part of the immune system. If you have an adequate zinc intake, your T-cells are activated and make your immune system stronger. You can easily consume 17 milligrams of zinc with just 100 grams of wheat germ. This is more than enough to keep your body healthy. You can put wheat germ into pretty much everything you cook or bake. The simplest way to get wheat germ in your body is to sprinkle it over whatever you are eating. The taste of wheat germ is subtle and won't take away from the dishes you combine it with.

Vegetable juice is a great source of vitamins, minerals, immune boosting agents and fluids. Do you remember watching the V-8 Juice commercials where they tell us that adding veggie juice to our diet is good for our body? Those commercials aren't wrong. There are other options, however, than V-8 Juice. You can blend up your own vegetable juice at home. Folks who blend their own juices say they like the freedom to change their recipes and add whatever veggies strike their fancy each day. Adding veggie juices to your daily routine helps ensure that you also get the vitamins, fluids, and minerals that your body needs to be in optimum health.

Another herb that is a great immune-booster is Echinacea. Even though Echinacea is not really a superfood, it can have a tremendous impact on the health of your immune system. At the onset of cold or flu symptoms, a lot of people take Echinacea as a matter of course. The actual plant, which is an herbaceous perennial, stands about 2-3 feet tall. However, don't be tempted to chew on any part of the plant itself. Most of the Echinacea plant is used in the supplement capsules; however, in its native state, the plant isn't edible. It's not a good idea to eat raw Echinacea as it could adversely affect your stomach.

You will find that many foods are available to you that can be called immune system superfoods. You know that you need to eat a healthy and balanced diet anyway, why not choose the foods that help your immune system stay healthy at the same time?




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