The Covid-19 pandemic has made us realize the importance of eating healthy food and boosting our immune system. And you really don’t need to take any medicine or vaccine to boost your immunity. There are several foods that boost immunity. You can even have chyawanprash or make your own immunity booster mix at home.
What is Immunity?
Immunity is basically our body’s capability to fight against diseases and infections, which could be caused by viruses, bacteria, and other harmful microorganisms.
All the internal parts of our body that help us fight diseases can be collectively called the immune system. White blood cells (WBCs) are the main warriors of the immune system
The better the immune system, the better is our ability to fight harmful bacteria and viruses that enter our body.
Healthy Habits That You Must Adopt
Here are some healthy habits that you must adopt to improve your immunity.
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise regularly.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight.
- Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid smoke.
- Get adequate sleep.
- Do meditation and try to minimize stress.
Foods that Boost and Improve Our Immune System
FSSAI (Food Safety & Standards Authority of India), the apex food regulator of India, recently tweeted listing the food that are best for boosting immunity.
Foods rich in vitamin C are the best to improve your immunity levels. Food like Amla, Oranges, Papaya, Capsicum, Guava, Lemon are rich in vitamin C and also benefit you in other ways.
You must also include more of these foods to boost your immune system.
- Green Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Watermelon
- Acai berry (black-purple fruit)
- Low-fat Yogurt
- Seafood, especially Oysters
- Green Tea
- Sweet Potatoes
- Pomegranate
- Garlic Cloves
- Ginger
- Variety of Soups
Turmeric: The Great Indian Yellow Spice With Various Health Benefits
Ask any elderly person in an Indian family about the benefits of Turmeric, and they will list so many of them…not just cooking related but also health related. Be it a minor cut on your finger or treating cold and cough, turmeric is the perfect home remedy for such situations.
Indians readily apply Turmeric on fresh wounds, insect bites, chicken-pox scabs, and have it with warm milk at night to prevent cough. Medical professionals prescribe it for urological diseases, worm infections, and even cancer.
Immune System and Age
Our immunity becomes weaker as we age, which in turn contributes to more infections. Several studies have shown that compared to the younger lot, the elderly are more likely to contract infectious diseases and it can even prove fatal.
Older people generally eat less and often include less variety of food in their diets. They should ideally talk to their doctor and consider the possibility of taking supplements.
References
Boosting the Immune System, From Science to Myth: Analysis the Infosphere With Google
So what is your recipe to improve immunity? Please let us know.
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