7 Immunity-boosting foods that you can find in your home right now.
Immunity is the power to fight off the diseases. It’s the ability to resist bacterial, viral and other pathogenic infections to enter our body.
When you catch flu, it is an indicator that your immunity has become
weak and has become more vulnerable to bacteria, viruses and fungus (clearly not
a good thing).
And very recently there has been
a stir amongst all nations about a disease called covid-19
that is caused by a virus named corona. The coronavirus has clearly shaken everybody and Covid-19 has been declared PANDEMIC by
the WHO.
What can we do now?
Well
we are being taught how to prevent ourselves from the infected person and the coronavirus
itself and are being advised preventive measures like washing your hands, sanitize
regularly and practice SOCIAL DISTANCING.
No doubt these are
very effective too but the main concern should be how to fight back (God
forbid) if it comes into contact with us.
How to make our body healthy so that it remains ineffective?
With all this
coronavirus chaos, our primary concern is to protect ourselves and our loved
ones from its wrath and thus our main motive should be to strengthen our immune
system so that we can fight back the virus.
╔
According to worldometer, a study conducted by WHO states
that the mortality rate is around 3% and the remaining
97%of the cases stabilize. ╗
The factors governing stability are age and strong immunity. While age is something we don’t have control over, we can do something with the second important factor "Immunity".
To keep
those micro-devils at bay, you need to strengthen your immune system.
Fortunately, we are blessed with such immune-boosting foods that not only help us stay strong but are tasty too.
There are innumerous number of foods that boost immunity but here I am listing out 7 power-packed foods that I personally have experienced increasing growth in my immunity.
Here we go:
GINGER:
THE BENEFITS OF
GINGER ARE SEVERAL.
It contains a
bioactive compound called Gingerol that is
contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
It also helps in
reducing bad cholesterol and is also effective in tackling respiratory
problems.
SUGGESTIONS:
§ Take water in a vessel and add 1-inch crushed ginger in it.
§ Then add a tsp of cumin seeds (it helps digestion) and some mint leaves to it.
§ Let the water comes to boil.
§ Once it comes to boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 10 more minutes.
§ Switch off the flame after 10 minutes and strain the water in a glass and drink.
How often to consume?
One can take regularly
Who should avoid it?
§
Those who
have high clotting time, as ginger is known to thin out the blood.
§ Pregnant women – again as it causes blood to thin, it can cause excessive bleeding in pregnant women.
TURMERIC MILK:
We all know turmeric
is a great antiseptic.
People tend to apply
warm turmeric paste to wounds and skin infections because of its fast healing
properties.
Also, it increases
complexion, thanks to its antibacterial properties.
Turmeric also belongs
to the family of ginger and It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and
anti-microbial properties.
It contains 3% of
active compound CURCUMIN that helps in curing digestive problems too.
SUGGESTION:
§
Take 1 cup of milk in a vessel and add a
little more than a pinch of turmeric to it
§
Let the milk come to boil and then simmer it
for 5 minutes. Strain it in a cup and drink.
How often to consume?
It can be taken
daily(either in daylight or night time).
Best if taken thrice a week in my opinion as the excessive amount may lead to dizziness, nausea, and stomach upset.
Who should avoid it?
§
People
with iron deficiency must not take an excessive amount of turmeric
§
Also,
pregnant women make use of it with caution.
BLACK SEEDS:
Also known as caraway
seeds, black cumin, and kalonji(in India) is another superficial immunity
boosting supplement. Eating black seeds can cure digestive problems such as
gastric troubles and diarrhea.
It is also helpful in
losing weight.
Black seed oil can
result in healthy hair growth.
It has an active compound named Thymoquinone that also has tumor reducing properties. Hence, no.1 choice for strengthening immunity.
SUGGESTION:
§
Take
a pinch of black seeds (7 or 8 seeds) and consume it directly.
§ You can also sprinkle it over your bread or mix it up into your dough.
How often to consume?
It can be consumed
daily but in a limited amount.
DO NOT
take a tsp or more for as ingle person consumption as the excessive
amount may cause dizziness.
Who should avoid it?
§
It is
safe to say that anyone can consume it as per the specified amount.
§ But people with low blood sugar levels and low blood pressure should avoid taking it regularly
§ Also, people who are about to undergo any surgery must stop using black seeds before the surgery
HONEY:
It’s no hidden fact
that honey is one of the best foods to include in a diet. It contains
antioxidants and also helps in lowering bad cholesterol.
Honey helps in
detoxification of the body, cures skin problems, improves immunity as it has
anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties.
It is a boon for both
underweight and overweight people.
Taking honey with milk can help gain weight and take it with warm water can help reduce weight.
SUGGESTION:
§
Take
it as the first thing in the morning. Take it with warm water and
Lemon(optional) to strengthen immunity.
§
You
can also take a spoonful of honey with a pinch of cinnamon powder to combat flu
and cold.
How often to consume?
It can be consumed
daily.
Who should avoid it?
§
People
with gastric trouble should avoid taking honey with cinnamon.
CITRUS FRUITS:
You may have heard
this before from your doctor or from your relatives but let me highlight the
amazing benefits of consuming citrus fruits.
Citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C that flushes out free radicals and toxic chemicals. Free radicals are reactive compounds that are formed when our food is turned into energy, they are unstable compounds that can damage blood cells.
Citrus fruits also reduce respiratory diseases and their area good source of fiber.
You may know that fiber is crucial for our daily discharge of digestive waste.
Some of the examples of citrus fruits are:
- Oranges
- Grapes
- Limes
- Strawberries
- Lemon
SUGGESTION:
§ When you eat oranges, do not peel off the white layer with the skin because the white layer called the pith has high fibrous content.
§ For lemon, squeeze a lemon in warm water and drink it as the first thing in the morning.
How often to consume citrus fruits?
It can eat daily in a limited quantity.
Who should avoid it?
§
Those
with gastrointestinal problems need to avoid citrus fruits as it ahs higher
acid formation.
§ Also, one should not eat fruits directly after a meal.
ALMONDS:
Almonds are a great
source of protein and vitamins. It contains Vitamin E and is an antioxidant.
It lowers heart risk
and helps lower bad cholesterol. A handful of almonds( 6-10 seeds) can
supercharge you with nutrients. It strengthens immunity and also enhances
memory and other brain activities.
SUGGESTION:
§
Taking
a handful of almonds with 6 or 7 black peppercorns in the night can
help you fight cold and flu and is a boost to immunity.
How often to consume?
One can take daily.
Who should avoid it?
§
People
with dry fruits and nut allergy should consult a doctor before consuming
almonds. Else it may cause irritation and itching in your skin and also
swelling may occur.
GARLIC:
Tell me a problem
that garlic can’t solve.
Garlic is high
in antibiotic properties and it can help in thinning out overly thick blood, to
lower blood cholesterol hence combats strokes and blood clots.
Highly effective for
people suffering from asthma and breathing problems.
SUGGESTION:
§
Take
ginger and garlic and boil together with a cup of water and drink.
§ Garlic soup to combat the flu.
How often to consume?
Can be taken daily
Who should avoid taking additional garlic (apart from adding it in cooking)?
§
People
with low blood pressure.
§ Pregnant women as it may cause excessive bleeding.
§ Excessive intake can cause anemia and other blood-related problems too.
As I said earlier
there are many foods that increase immunity and contain other health benefits
and proper intake of these can result in better health and better metabolism.
Disclaimer: I am no health expert but I share what I’ve experienced and advises my personal doctor has given me.
References:
For the "who should avoid it" section and for the compound names, I've taken references from Healthline
There’s only so much
we can do to protect ourselves and fight back.
To make health a top priority in my life and yours, I have created a daily health tracker that not only plans your physical health but also your mental health because studies show that poor mental health can diminish your otherwise good immune system too.
To make health a top priority in my life and yours, I have created a daily health tracker that not only plans your physical health but also your mental health because studies show that poor mental health can diminish your otherwise good immune system too.
If you know any other
such immunity-boosting food, please let me know in the comments
below.
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