Foods that can fight off a cold
Eating to help your immune system defend health is like listening to music with headphones. it’s easy to do, if you pay attention to the volume.
Sometimes you need to turn it up, and other times you need to lower the volume to more tolerable levels.
there are times you need to boost the immune system to protect you against infection, such as during the flu season, or when you’re feeling stressed out.
not only will a strong immune system help fight infections, it can also defend you against internally developed diseases, such as cancer or auto-immune conditions.
new discoveries reveal that specific foods can help fine-tune your immune system, keep it in prime shape, and help you thwart disease.
We now know, for instance, that certain foods and dietary patterns can calm an overactive immune system, reducing symptoms and preventing autoimmune flares.
those with autoimmune diseases may need to continuously fine-tune their diet to keep inflammation quelled, too.
Mushrooms
White button mushrooms are a good source of bioactives, including an immunestimulating dietary fibre called betaglucan. Studies also show that eating mushrooms (of all types) activates the gut, which in turn stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies.
Black garlic
FreSh garlic has a strong smell, but when it is aged, garlic becomes almost odourless — look out for black garlic at specialist food shops or in delicatessens.
Studies have shown a good correlation between aged garlic, enhanced immune cell activity, and less illness.
this research offers clinical evidence that aged garlic can strengthen our immune defence against everyday infections, and potentially even cancer.
Broccoli sprouts
Look out for these three-tofour-day-old plant tendrils sold as ‘salad toppers’ in the chiller section of larger supermarkets.
all broccoli contains sulforaphanes, which activate the immune system, but broccoli sprouts have up to 100 times more sulforaphane than ordinary broccoli, and studies show eating them can boost your immune defences against the flu virus.
Chew the sprouts thoroughly to rupture the plant cell walls and release the enzyme (myrosinase) which converts the sulforaphane into its active form.
Olive oil
extra virgin olive oil is a critical component of the Mediterranean diet, and the bioactives it contains calm inflammation and enhance your immune system.
olive oil also helps reduce the body’s reaction to allergens.
Chestnuts, walnuts, blackberries, and
pomegranate
theSe foods contain ellagic acid, a potent bioactive which activates the body’s health defences. not only does it starve tumours and prevent them from growing, but it can also assist immune cells by improving their ability to detect and destroy cancer cells.
Cranberry juice
For years, drinking cranberry juice has been touted as a way to prevent bladder infections.
it is often said that the juice changes the acidity of the urine, preventing bacteria from gaining a foothold for infection. But studies show that drinking real cranberry juice actually has a beneficial effect on immune cells that line the gut and other mucous membranes of the body, including the urinary tract.
Grape juice
JuiCe from Concord grapes has Dna-protective and immuneboosting benefits. this purple juice contains bioactives that influence immunity cells.
other bioactives found in the juice, such as vitamin C and melatonin, can also activate the immune system.
however, all fruit juices can contain a lot of sugar, which can raise insulin levels and put stress on your metabolism, so don’t drink too much.
Chilli peppers
the red, yellow and green of peppers alert you to the presence of bioactives. Capsaicin, the chemical that gives them their heat, activates the immune system and has been shown to increase the numbers of circulating white blood cells and antibodyproducing B cells.
Oysters
SheLLFiSh lovers take note: oysters can boost immunity and offer anti-inflammation and Dna protection alongside their supposed aphrodisiac qualities.
Liquorice root
LiquoriCe — the root, not the sweets — is traditionally used as a flavouring, and as herbal medicine for treating stomach and respiratory ailments.
it has now been discovered to boost immunity, too, and is strong enough to prompt an anti-cancer response in the body.
When scientists compared the anti-tumour effects of liquorice to chemotherapy treatment in mice, they found that feeding liquorice extract to the mice could achieve 61 per cent of the anti-tumour effect had by chemotherapy, but without side-effects.