With the Coronavirus Pandemic looming large, the word immunity has got a whole new meaning. We have realised that `prevention is better than cure and it is better to be safe than sorry.’
You need to fortify your intestines, clean your gut and have a wholesome diet to build up immunity. So, what foods or superfoods have good immunity-boosting properties?
Of course, water is the most important liquid for colon health. It can help us to flush out harmful toxins and waste. If toxins continue to accumulate in the colon, that would destroy good bacteria and affect digestion. This will make your body susceptible to illness.
Role of Nutrition in Boosting Immunity
Nutrition can lend a helping hand in boosting your immune system. A nourishing diet, good vitamins, super-foods, fruits, seeds, supplements can all decide what is going inside our bodies. Proper nutrition can help us restore and repair our tissues and prepare us for the big fight with external viruses.
By merging a nourishing diet with other precautionary measures, you will be bestowing your immune system with everything it desires to keep you well and restored.
Let us look at some food items which you must include in your everyday diet to boost up your immunity.
Tea
Green tea and Ginger tea help us in treating a common cold. Green tea consists of antioxidants and a range of healthy compounds. Ginger tea is very therapeutic and rich in nutritive properties.
Various Ayurvedic medicines make use of ginger as a primary ingredient owing to the presence of Gingerol, an active component that is responsible to make ginger a perfect immunity enhancer.
Garlic
Garlic has been used for thousands of years to fight diseases It has a compound called allicin, which proves to be a powerful weapon to battle against bacteria and viruses.
Used in various supplements, chutneys Garlic is an important ingredient in Indian cooking. Garlic is even consumed in its raw form as it helps of blood thinning, strokes and preventing heart attacks.
Spinach
Spinach or saag is a well loved vegetarian food in India. Spinach soups, Palak Paneer or used in salads, Spinach is rich in calcium and folate.
Packed with fibre this super-food regulates the process of digestion, comprises vitamin C and is great for holistic health.
Fennel seeds
Fennel seeds or saunf are consumed in India after a meal for better digestion. They are also used in different curries and have a multitude of calming effects that can benefit in offering one relief from flu-like symptoms.
Saunf is not just to freshen the mouth, but is also a concentrated source of minerals like Copper, Potassium, Calcium, Zinc and Vitamin C. This super food fennel comprises flavonoids that act as anti-inflammatory agents.
According to Ayurveda Fennel seeds reduce all 3 Trodosha (Vata, Pita, Kapha). It is a good idea to consume a fennel seed drink during the scorching summer, to relieve heat from the body. The oil found in the seeds is carminative in nature, hence it is used in massage blends, especially in Ayurveda.
Probiotics
Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. You can find Probiotics in supplements and some foods, like yogurt.
Healthy human intestines tend to brace about ten trillion microorganisms. These break down food particles and hazardous bacteria, germs, harmful viruses and fungi.
Maintaining healthy bacteria stability in your gut helps to thwart pathogens from inflowing into the bloodstream.
To enable this process, you must try and fill in your diet with rich sources of probiotics like yogurt, kefir; milk comprising of Probiotics. Buttermilk, cultured vegetables which include kimchi; miso and kombucha are some other options.
