Top 10 Foods that can Boost your Immunity System
The world is getting health conscious, are you? With the ramping COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to boost your morale as well as your immunity. Immunity boosting foods are the need of the day. You can never be too safe, but intaking the proper nutrients in your diet will surely make up for half of that!
Why boost your immunity system?
Our immunity system is responsible for fighting off bad germs and helps prevent harmful diseases from overwhelming our health. In fact, it does a great job at it. However, at times it becomes too weak and is unable to fight off a really harmful microorganism which then spreads through our body and leads to several kinds of illness, disease or viral infections.
Hence, a healthy and regulated lifestyle allows this defence mechanism of our body to rest and function full-fledged. So here are the Top 10 Immunity Boosting Foods for your consumption:
1. Ginger
Adrak ki chai is something we have all heard of. Having fever and drinking ginger dipped, piping hot tea is a norm in Indian households. Though, have you ever wondered why?
For years by-gone, ginger has been used for medicinal purposes. Gingerol in ginger makes it the perfect ingredient for Ayurvedic treatments.
This makes ginger an irreplaceable food that is incorporated in several drinks and sweet dishes. It is a fighter against chronic pain. You can even cure a sore throat and deal with the inflammatory illness with this booster. The strong essence of ginger serves as a marked help against nausea.
2. Garlic
Another house ingredient that you do not have to look too far for is Garlic or Rasona, as popularly known in Ayurveda. Constituting allicin-a plant that acts as a germicide(destroyer of harmful microorganisms), garlic should be consumed raw or partially cooked for it to retain its nutritional benefits. The ayurvedic studies also hypothesize that having garlic paste with milk boosts a person’s sexual health.
Even early civilizations recognised this food’s status and value for fighting infections. It slows down the hardening of your arteries and is a must have ingredient for the maintenance of one’s health.
3. Tulsi
A very powerful germicide, used extensively for ayurvedic treatments, Tulsi is an awe-ing herb. You can chew the tulsi leaves raw or have it with boiled water, in both cases, its effects will nourish your immunity in a wholesome manner.
Tulsi is undeniably one of the best medicinal herbs available today. Even planting a tulsi plant inside your house helps protect your body from cold, cough and similar symptoms.
4. Neem
This immunity boosting food has a three in one functionality. It is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. In Ayurveda, Neem tablets are extensively used for bracing one’s immunity and purifying the blood. Due to its naturally inclined properties, which is free from chemicals and additives, it can be consumed on a regular basis. This will maintain the blood sugar levels and detox your body from any impurities.
5. Moringa
A significant and indispensable Ayurvedic herb, Moringa serves as an effective immunity booster. It can also be considered as a Super Food! With ayurvedic treatment narrowing its focus on cleansing your body from undigested food in order to keep it safe from any kind of illness through natural and dependable methods, the use of Moringa serves as a perfectly ideal example for the same.
The Vitamin C content of Moringa is higher than even that of oranges. Yes! You heard that right! Since Vitamin C is vital for our body to boost immunity, Moringa is a very important ingredient in Ayurveda.
It is also called the Miracle Tree because it is not only packed with Vitamin C but also Iron, Magnesium, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A and Protein. Moreover, it contains antioxidant properties that additionally aids our immunity.
6. Turmeric
Studies have revealed that turmeric enacts a significant role in boosting immunity. The bodily enzymes are stimulated with the help of Turmeric. Beliefs originating from the Ancient Indian Civilization narrated that turmeric does have an array of medicinal properties. Curcumin is the central component present in this food that is functional as an antioxidant, antiseptic, anti aging and antibiotic ingredient. There is a comparatively lower risk of acquiring cancer, arthritis or alzheimers by the draining of regular turmeric in your body.
7. Black Cumin
Kala Jeera or Kalonji, also called black cumin grows majorly in South and South-West Asia. Due to their several medicinal benefits and unique flavour, black cumin is used in several cuisines and ancient medicine. These black seeds are home to Nigella and Melatonin, which are two components known for their high nutritional and medicinal properties.
Kala Jeera is a storehouse of protein, carbohydrate, fat and fibre. It is also abundant in important minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium and potassium and vital Vitamins like A, C, E and K conversing with a refining immune system, nourishing the liver and taking care of heart health.
8. Triphala
Commonly known as Triphala churna, this immunity booster food is mostly used in Ayurveda. The Triphala is a mixture and a storehouse of antioxidative functionalities of three fruits, including haritaki, bibhitaki and amla. Ayurveda believes in the use of Triphala to balance the pitta dosha. Rich in immunity boosters Vitamin A and Vitamin C, the Triphala ingredient is consumed in the form of tablets, powder, capsules or even juice.
9. Ashwagandha
A beneficial immunity boosting food that is an adaptogen, the Ashwagandha is used for both physiological and psychological stress. Hence, with the lowering of this stress, ashwagandha helps nourish the immune system that often weakens due to stress load. It also serves as a powerhouse of antioxidants that supplies the body with anti ageing properties, as per studies in Ayurveda.
Further, this item is mostly consumed in a fine powder manner or churna, mixed with water or ghee. Apart from nourishing the immunity, Ashwagandha also fosters a positive balance between sexual and reproduction.
10. Virgin Coconut Oil
In Ayurveda, coconut oil became a recognised and acknowledged medicine about 4000 years back. This is because the coconut oil when ingested or applied somewhere gets transformed into Lauric Acid and Monolaurin, which are both antimicrobial properties. This further ignites the anti-inflammatory functionalities of the body. As per studies, coconut has proved numerous times of its abilities as a nutritive agent for the immunity system.
Ayurveda strongly believes in coconut oil being a strengthening ingredient for the body that protects it from viral infections.
Conclusion
With these easy to abide home remedies to boost immunity, you do have to look any further to get healthy. Have these 10 foods regularly to maintain a regulated diet that keeps you healthy and disease free, throughout all days.
You can check out a few ayurvedic fruit juices, which will help you boost your immunity at Body Defence with Giloy Juice
Authored By: Ankita Agarwal
About Author: Ankita Agarwal is a Health & Wellness Coach from Siliguri, India
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