Your immune response is like your own personal health insurance policy, and it’s much better to take a preventative approach than to have to deal with health issues after they manifest. Here are a number of foods and spices you can add to or increase in your diet to insure your body’s “policy premium” is always paid in advance so you have constant protection….
(From RealFarmacy.com) Staying well while those around you sniffle and sneeze requires that you extract as much nutrition from your diet as you can, loading up on the foods that pack the biggest nutritional punch.
Avoiding processed foods, grains and sugar will go a long way toward strengthening your immune system. However, you can do even more by selecting foods that are loaded with the specific immune boosting nutrients.
1. Fermented Foods
If you are serious about boosting your immunity, then adding traditionally fermented foods is essential.
One of the most healthful fermented foods is kefir. Kefir is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food full of friendly microorganisms that balance your “inner ecosystem” and strengthen immunity. Besides kefir, other good fermented foods include natto, kimchi, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, yogurt (watch for sugar), and olives.
Friendly bacteria have a powerful, beneficial effect on your gut’s immune system, your first line defense against pathogens, and aid in the production of antibodies.
(Check out Cultures For Health for lots of information about kefir and other cultured foods; you can also sign up and receive free e-books on how to make your own, plus buy all “the fixin’s” there, too.)
2. Raw Organic Eggs From Free-Range Chickens
Before you wrinkle up your nose, raw eggs are an inexpensive and amazing source of high-quality nutrients that many people are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat. I am a proponent of raw eggs because they have been so helpful to my own health.
As long as you have a good source for fresh, organic raw eggs, you need not worry about salmonella. To find free-range pasture farms, try your local health food store, or go to http://www.eatwild.com or http://www.localharvest.com.
3. Coconuts and Coconut Oil
Besides being excellent for your thyroid and your metabolism, coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin. Monolaurin is the actual compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immunity.
A great deal of research has been done establishing the ability of lauric acid to enhance immunity. This medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) actually disrupts the lipid membranes of offending organisms.
When selecting coconuts and coconut oil, make sure you choose organic ones that are unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and non-GMO.
(Be sure to read the Self-help Health post on the many benefits and uses for coconut oil.)
4. Locally Grown Organic Vegetables
When it comes to fighting off pathogens, you simply can’t do any better than eating a variety of fresh, organic, and preferably raw vegetables for the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes they contain. However, the amount and type of vegetables you should eat daily will depend on your nutritional type.
Make sure the veggies you choose are fresh. The nutrient value drops to practically zero once a fruit or vegetable is canned. For example, take a look at the ORAC value of peaches.
ORAC Values
ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and an ORAC unit or ORAC “score” is a standardized method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. The higher the ORAC score, the more effective a food is at neutralizing free radicals. The less free radicals you have, the healthier you will be.
Back to Peaches
A raw, fresh peach has an ORAC score of 1,814. A can of peaches in heavy syrup has an ORAC score of 436, meaning that more than 75 percent of the antioxidants are lost in the canning process.
You can check the ORAC score for many different things at www.oracvalues.com. The higher the score, the better. Please be aware, though, that the total antioxidant capacity of a food alone does not determine its health benefit, which depends on how it is absorbed and utilized by your body. ORAC score is a useful guide, but it is only part of the picture.
FYI, growing fruits and vegetables using structured water has shown to increase their BRIX index, nutrition level, size and taste. Read more about the many benefits of using structured water here:
https://selfhelphealth.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/structured-water-h2omg/
5. Blueberries and Raspberries
Blueberries and raspberries rate very high in antioxidant capacity (ORAC of 6,520), compared to other fruits and vegetables. Wild blueberries in particular are potent immune boosters. They contain powerful phytochemicals, such as anthocyanin, which is the pigment that gives blueberries their color. And they are lower in sugar than many other fruits.
Blueberry juice contains tons of fiber, and is also very high in Vitamin C. One of the qualities of antioxidants is that they can lower inflammation, and so there’s some indication that blueberries may have some effect on age-related cognitive abilities. And don’t forget that blueberries are very low in calories.
6. Mushrooms
Mushrooms strengthen your immune system because they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium and other minerals, and even vitamin D – one of the only foods that can provide you with this essential immune strengthener.
Mushrooms make up a large part of the fabric of the earth. According to Paul Stamets, one of the world’s leading authorities on the health benefits of mushrooms, one cubic inch of soil can contain eight miles of mycelium.
Mushrooms also contain powerful compounds called beta glucans, which have been long known for their immune enhancing properties. The beta glucans in medicinal mushrooms (especially Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake) are notable for their ability to activate/modulate the immune system.
Beta glucan enhances immunity through a variety of mechanisms, many of which are similar to those of echinacea or astragalus root. For example, it binds to macrophages and other scavenger white blood cells, activating their anti-infection activities. Numerous studies support this.
7. Chlorella
As foods go, chlorella is nearly perfect.
Chlorella is a single-cell freshwater algae that acts as an efficient detoxification agent by binding to toxins, such as mercury, and carries them out of your system. It is the chlorophyll in chlorella that makes it so powerful. Chlorophyll helps you process more oxygen, cleanses your blood and promotes the growth and repair of your tissues.
(From my research and experience, if you are using chlorella to help remove heavy metals such as mercury, you should also include cilantro because the two cover different parts of the detox/cleansing process. Cilantro is what pulls the metals from the tissues and organs and chlorella is what moves them out of the body. If you use one without the other, your detox efforts will be hampered. There are several formulas available that combine the two, such as Source Naturals’ Cilantro Detox Extract with chlorella, or you can add fresh cilantro to your diet.)
8. Propolis
Propolis is a bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum anti-microbial compounds in the world, if not the broadest spectrum, according to master herbalist Donnie Yance. Propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important phenolic compounds that aid in immune response.
9. Teas
Green Tea and Matcha
Matcha is the most nutrient-rich green tea and comes in the form of a stone-ground powder, completely unfermented. The best Matcha comes from Japan and has up to seventeen times the antioxidants of wild blueberries, and seven times more than dark chocolate.
Green teas are rich in polyphenols, in the form of natural chemicals called catechins. The most powerful catechin in tea is epigallocatechin (EGCG), which was found in one study to be 25 to 100 times more potent than antioxidant vitamins C and E. And Matcha is more than 100 times as potent in EGCG as regular brewed green tea.
Tulsi
Tulsi tea, coming from the holy basil herb, has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurvedic medicine of India. Not only is this tea loaded with antioxidants, but it has multiple positive health benefits, including supporting your immune health, memory, heart health and vision.
White Tea
The anti-bacterial and anti-viral effect of white tea has been found to be even greater than that of green tea. White tea extract may help inactivate bacteria, viruses and fungi that affect humans.
(Read the Self-help Health post on Tea: Medicine In A Cup for more information about how teas can add to your “health insurance policy.” And FYI, I’ve always heard that because green and white teas are more delicate than black, you need to brew them using water just below boiling so that many of the antioxidants aren’t distroyed in the steeping process.)
10. Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices are at the top of the list of high ORAC value foods on planet Earth. There are simply too many good ones to summarize here! So I will simply highlight a few that deserve special mention.
Garlic
Although not at the top of the ORAC chart (5,346), garlic is incredibly beneficial to your immune system because it offers a triple-whammy: it’s anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. You should be eating garlic every day. One of the best things about garlic is that bacteria, viruses, and yeast build up no resistance to it, unlike with synthetic antibiotics.
For optimal benefits, garlic should be fresh, since the active ingredient is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic cloves. In other words, garlic capsules are basically useless.
Garlic contains allicin, a chemical that is anti-carcinogenic. It also has been shown to lower LDL, lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of blood clots and stroke, lower homocysteine, and even prevent insect bites — including mosquitoes and ticks.
Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice
Immunity from common infections involves not only preventing pathogens from taking hold, but also moderating the immune response to invading pathogens.
Complications arise when you experience an over-response to the infection, which is why H1N1 is taking its toll on healthy young adults. Their bodies are over responding — something called a “cytokine storm.” It’s basically a severe inflammatory response.[vi]
One wonderful thing about plants (and herbs especially) is that they don’t all stimulate the immune system—some modulate it, or act as a buffer.
Here are some of the best herbs and spices for building a strong immune system that functions correctly:
* Honeysuckle and chrysanthemum: good anti-virals
* Artemisia: anti-malarial
* Andrographis, aka “King of Bitters”: anti-viral, and helps modulate inflammatory response
* Licorice: buffers the inflammatory response by increasing steroid output by the adrenal glands; a good buffer if your immune system is over responding to the flu.
* Turmeric: ORAC score of 159,277; general immune system booster due to its high antioxidant capacity, and an anti-cancer agent as well; turneric is 5 to 8 times stronger than vitamins C and E, and even strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical, which is considered by some to be the most reactive of all oxidants
(Be sure to read the Self-help Health post on tumeric and prepare to be amazed at what this spice can do, including help with Alzheimer’s and dementia.)
* Black Pepper: Increases the bioavailability of just about all other foods (including tumeric)–herbs and other things
(One of my favorite superfoods is organic Sea Clear, by Shaman Shack, which includes non-GMO miso, tumeric, black pepper, fermented kelp, chlorella and raw apple cider vinegar. It took me weeks to actually get around to trying it after I first bought it because I couldn’t imagine how combining those ingredients would taste good, plus it looked sort of like green sludge. But I ended up loving it and it’s so easy to fix….just add a spoonful or two to hot structured water and you have a rich, satisfying broth….like miso with a zing! This product is based on a formula used in Russia and Japan to help remove radiation and heavy metals from the body; it also does lots of other good things for your health. I get my Sea Clear at Raw Food World, where it’s featured in their monthly specials from time to time, but you can also find it elsewhere.)
* Oregano: ORAC 13,970; active agent is rosmarinic acid, a strong antioxidant; one tablespoon of oregano has the antioxidant capacity of one medium apple
* Cinnamon: ORAC 267,536; powerful antimicrobial agent—found to kill E. coli and many other bacteria; also has antiinflammatory compounds
* Cloves: THE BIG ORAC GRAND PRIZE WINNER AT 314,446, highest of all foods tested! Contains eugenol; its mild anaesthetic benefits are useful for toothaches and sore throats; good anti-inflammatory
Dr. Joseph Mercola cited an interview with herbalist Donnie Yance, who shared his basic remedy for flu, should you come down with one.
Make this special tea from a combination of herbs that synergistically cause your body to sweat – which is very desirable if you want to eradicate a virus from your system. And then drink it hot and often:
| 1. Elderflower (used for hundreds of years for flu) 2. Boneset (eupatorium) 3. Yarrow 4. Linden 5. Peppermint 6. Ginger |
By incorporating some of these fantastic foods into your diet you’ll not only evade the circulating viruses, but also improve your overall health and longevity at the same time.
Source: Prevent Disease
Salud!
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