Boosting your immune system naturally

How to boost your immune system naturally?

Stress, fear, and unhealthy nutrition can have a detrimental impact on your health and your immune system so what can you do to boost your immune system naturally, to help your immune system stay strong?

The immune system is our body’s natural defence system so we need to take good care of it. We want to be able to recover fast if we get sick.

Daily exercise, sufficient sleep, low-stress levels, and healthy eating are the four pillars to keep our immune system strong.

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Exercise & sleep

Exercise: everyone should implement an exercise routine. There are plenty of options out there, make sure you leave your desk at least 30 minutes per day. It does not have to be long; 15 minutes a day is enough tos ee some results and it’s a good start. Find an exercise you like, alone listening to music or with your friend or family, just make sure you move!

Sleep: the research shows that a good night sleep will help boost our immune system.

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Our ‘immune health begins in the gut’ so let’s take care of it! Let’s improve it thanks to a nutritious diet. To accomplish that, we need to reduce or get rid of refined, processed foods and empty calories. We need to indulge in foods that will nourish our cells and help our immune system fight off viruses! If you don’t have access to fresh food, frozen food is ok but try to avoid ready-made dishes.

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NUTRIENTS TO FOCUS ON:

• Prebiotics: their fibre content supports our digestive system and helps increase the good bacteria in our gut. Add oats, asparagus, artichokes, onion, garlic, cabbage, flaxseed, shiitake, beans, root vegetables, cocoa, bananas, apples and blueberries to your diet.
• Probiotics: they make sure our gut is populated with the right kind of bugs that will protect us. You can find good probiotics  in kefir, raw cheese, yoghurt, apple cider vinegar, kombucha (fermented black tea), kimchi, sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and miso paste (fermented beans).
• Fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients that will help you maintain a healthy stress response and help you stay strong! Prioritise berries, citrus fruits, kiwis, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots.
• Vitamin C: we all know citrus fruits for their vitamin C content, but keep in mind that kale, spinach, broccoli, pepper and chilli pepper also contain large amounts of vitamin C, if not more!
• Zinc plays a paramount role in our immune system. It helps create and activate white blood cells involved in the immune response. This trace mineral is needed for the body’s defensive system to work properly. It is found in shellfish, grass-fed meat, eggs, pumpkin seeds, spinach and nuts.
• Selenium is an essential mineral that acts as a powerful antioxidant. Selenium helps support our immune system and plays a critical role in our thyroid good health. It is found in Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, oysters, fish, eggs & shiitake mushrooms.

• Vitamin A, (3;4) found in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products but also in fruits, vegetables (leafy green vegetables & orange and yellow vegetables), and other plant-based products, is also really important for our immune system.
• Quercetin is a flavonoid (an antioxidant) that has beneficial immune-stimulatory effects and anti-inflammatory properties (1). It is found in fruits and vegetables including apples, berries, brassica vegetables, capers, grapes, onions & shallots. Buy fresh when you can at your local fresh market or corner shop to help them survive the crisis. If you don’t have access to fresh foods you can always resort to frozen foods (check out the ingredients to make sure there aren’t any added sugar or salt).
• Vitamin D: we know our immune system depends on it so use your balcony, your backyard, take some fresh air when you can. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find it in our food so you might want to ask your doctor for a good supplement.

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And of course, to add some extra flavours, colours & nutritional values to your dishes use herbs and spices.

One of my favourites; the beautiful Curcumin found in turmeric. It is a great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant spice. Its bright orange colour will lift up your mood just by looking at it! Add it in any of your dishes including soups, omelettes, stews, even in your chai tea. It’s available in powder or fresh, in which case you need to grate it. My advice: mix it with a bit of fat and add some black pepper to make sure you can get all its nutritional benefits.

The bottom line: eating a variety of foods is the key to boost your immune system naturally. Use spices and herbs, have fruit salads, they’re beautiful, tasty and nutrient-dense. Also, drink plenty of water, add some fresh mint or a lime juice to make it enjoyable. Eating healthy should be pleasurable!