Even though I am regularly washing hands and wiping down doorknobs, we can't seem to fight every sickness that comes our way. SO I thought to myself
"What better way to get better - than putting the BEST kinds of foods in our bodies?!"So, lucky you.
I found a great list that I wanted to share with you that I know I will put into effect in my house when the "sickness season" flows through again. On top of drinking shakeology, I believe these ten things will be great for helping you (and your little ones) boost your immune systems and fight off those bugs!
PLUS - since I love cooking - I figured I would throw in an added bonus of actually giving you RECIPES for EACH food! Because what good is the list when I know I am not going to walk around eating raw garlic... unless you're into that sort of thing.
BUT for those of you who aren't - here is my list of TEN IMMUNE BOOSTING FOODS (+recipes):
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1. OATMEAL: is always a perfect, healthy, easy breakfast but it’s also full of beta-glucan, which has antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities that are as strong as those found in Echinacea. Eat your oatmeal (or whip up some of my favorite overnight oats) and you will notice wounds healing faster and antibiotics working better.
2. TEA: I could go on and on and on about tea. It is the BEST. Especially because it fights viruses and soothes sore throats - but also according to Prevention.com, a Harvard study shows that people who drank 5 cups of black tea for 2 weeks had more of the immune boosting protein interferon in their blood than those who didn’t.
3. BRUSSELS SPROUTS: YUM!! These help nourish the thymus gland, which controls much of your immune system function. Eat two servings a day of these beta-carotene rich sprouts for optimal health.
4. STRAWBERRIES: are the perfect sweet treat and come packed with vitamin C—a common cold remedy most people turn to when they start feeling sick. Vitamin C battles viruses before you even get sick, it also breaks down stress hormones.
5.MUSHROOMS: are my go-to veggies for SO many meals. What is ALSO great is they promote white blood cell production, which helps your body fight off an infection. According to the director of the Institute of Herbal Medicine, people have been using mushrooms as immune boosters for centuries.
6.CHOCOLATE: Just when you think chocolate couldn't get any better (yeah right). It does. DARK chocolate is one of the best sources of zinc, which will decrease your risk of infection and promote the growth of white blood cells.
7. CARROTS: and other yummy orange veggies are members of the beta carotene-rich family. Beta carotene increases the number of infection-fighting cells and it’s a powerful antioxidant that helps eliminates free radicals, according to Ask Dr. Sears. Studies have shown that beta-carotene can also lower the risk of heart disease.
8. CHICKEN SOUP: comes to mind for practically everyone who gets sick. AND there is a reason for it. It helps to reduce inflammation and thin mucus the same way cough medicines do, according to a study from the University of Nebraska. The amino acid cysteine, which is found in chicken broth, is similar to a chemical in an antibiotic that fights bronchitis.
9. YOGURT: is another go-to breakfast meal or snack and it is a natural probiotic, which means it replaces all the good bacteria in your system. According to a recent study, those who fueled their body with probiotics had 33 percent less sick days than those who didn’t
10. GARLIC: is so good when added to many meals. Plus it contains an ingredient called allicin, which fights infection and bacteria according to Baseline of Health. AND as gross as it sounds (to me) eating these cloves raw has shown to decrease the chances of catching a cold. But if that doesn't appeal:
Which of these TEN are your favorite?? Or what others would you add to the list? What do you SWEAR by when you and your family gets sick?
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