107 Sneaky Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Tip 21 – Add a touch of garlic to your food

Garlic empowers the immune system in two ways; firstly, it boosts the production of white blood cells, and secondly, it boosts the activity of the natural killer cells that patrol the body looking for bacteria, viruses and pollutants.

Garlic is also rich in antioxidants that help to fight off free radicals. It also contains large amounts of nutrients that can be used by the body in various ways. Garlic is also capable of destroying and slowing down the growth of cancer cells.

Garlic can be added to food while it is being cooked. It can also be shredded up and added on top of food. Garlic can also be eaten whole, but this is not recommended as garlic has a very strong taste and a pungent smell that can be quite overwhelming.

Tip 22 – Supplement your diet with a cup of tea

Tea provides a number of benefits to the body.

Firstly, it helps strengthen the immune system, helping it in its fight against disease and illness in the body. Tea is rich in antioxidants that can rid the body of free radicals and other pollutants while the other nutrients present in it are used by the immune system as fuel to produce to new cells and strengthen and repair old ones.

Tea can also help to slow down the growth of cancer cells and also strengthen the heart, reducing the risk of heart attacks and heart diseases.

Tea also contains trace amount of caffeine that can improve energy levels and concentration. The amount of caffeine present in tea is small enough that it causes none of the negative side effects of too much caffeine intake.

Tip 23 – Supplement your diet by snacking on berries

Berries are full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are useful to the body and the immune system. Vitamin c, a vitamin capable of strengthening the white blood cells that make up the immune system, is one of the most abundant.

Berries have also been found to improve the body’s ability to absorb iron from food and to speed up the metabolism. Berries have also been found to improve memory and keep blood sugar levels at optimal levels.

Blueberries also contain special nutrients that are capable of reducing the effects of aging, leading to a more youthful and healthy looking appearance.

Berries can easily be added into any diet as a snack throughout the day. Berries are, however, quite calorie dense, with a handful containing approximately 100 calories. Eating more than a handful of berries daily can lead to problems with increased amounts of fat gain.

Tip 24 – Supplement your diet with leafy, green vegetables

Leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli all contain large numbers of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are able to fight off cancers, viruses, bacteria and pollutants that attack the body.

The best way to eat these leafy, green vegetables is raw. Cooking removes some of the nutrients present in them, leading to them being less beneficial for the body.

Steaming these vegetables is also a viable alternative. While steaming still removes a number of useful nutrients, it removes far less than other forms of cooking.

Tips 25 – Supplement your diet with tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. The antioxidants help to rid the body of free radicals while the body uses the vitamins to help maintain and carry out essential functions.

Tomatoes also contain large amounts of the nutrient known as lycopene. Lycopene strengthens the immune system by reducing its response time to an attack. Lycopene also helps boost the immune systems strength while fighting disease and it increases the body’s ability to patch up and heal wounds.

Raw tomatoes, baked beans, tomato soup and tomato ketchup all contain high amounts of lycopene. Cooking tomatoes doesn’t affect the amounts of lycopene present in it.

Tip 26 – Supplement your diet by eating an avocado

Avocados are a super fruit packed full of vitamins and nutrients. They also contain large number of antioxidants that fight off the free radicals and pollutants present in the skin cells, leading to healthier and smoother looking skill with a more youthful appearance.

Avocados also contain special nutrients known as phytochemicals. Phytochemicals aid the immune system by fighting off dangerous cancer cells and killing certain types of bacteria.

Avocados, however, are very high in calories, with a single medium sized avocado containing nearly 300 calories. Avocados are incredibly tasty and can be eaten raw or drank in juice form.

Tip 27 – Drink a vegetable smoothie or fruit juice shake with your breakfast in the morning

During the night, the body repairs old cells and produces new ones at an increased rate. By the time morning comes, the body will be running low on its stores of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and nutrients; a vegetable smoothie or a fruit juice shake first thing in the morning will ensure that the body has access to all the resources it needs to get through the day and keep the immune system working well.

Unlike cooking, juicing fruits and vegetables doesn’t remove their vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Smoothies and shakes can easily be made using a juicer. It is important, however, not to add sugar to the smoothie or shake. Use a sweetener, if necessary.

Tip 28 – Eat slowly and carefully while enjoying your food to aid digestion

The digestive process actually starts in the mouth when the food is chewed and saliva is added to it. Saliva causes the food to become alkaline making it hard for viruses and bacteria to survive in it. The saliva also contains enzymes that aid with digestion and makes it easier for vitamins, minerals and nutrients to be absorbed from the food. If the food isn’t chewed properly and is eaten too quickly, the digestive system will be unable to absorb all the nutrients present in the food, leading to it becoming undernourished.

Learning to eat slowly is actually harder than it sounds. We spend most of our time shoveling food down our throats, not taking the time to carefully chew it and absorb the taste. Sitting in front of a television or other distraction can also make it much more difficult to enjoy the food and thus digest it properly.

When eating, focus on the food and take your time to chew it carefully. Avoid distractions and keep your focus on the process of eating. By taking these steps, the food will be better digested and the body and immune system better supplied with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need to work properly.

Tip 29 – Rinse food, rather than soaking it in water, to remove immune system inhibiting pesticides

Farmers use pesticides and other chemicals on their crops to keep bugs, insects and other pests away. These pesticides, however, are recognized as a pollutant in the body by the immune system as they can damage cells and cause infection. As such, the immune system has to work hard to remove these chemicals from the body to keep it healthy. It is, therefore, important to try to remove pesticides from the food before eating it.

Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed and gently scrubbed while meat should have as much of the animal fat as possible removed.

Organic food is normally free of pesticides as well as other additives like preservatives and food colourings that can negatively impact the immune system. While organic food is expensive, it can help to keep the immune system strong and the body healthy.

Tip 30 – Eat some honey

Honey has been used for centuries as a home remedy to help fight the common cold and the flu. Medical research has found that honey has an anti-oxidizing and antibacterial effect that can help keep illness at bay as well as fight off illnesses in the body.

Darker types of honey, such as honey made from buckwheat, have been found to contain higher amounts of antioxidants than other types of honey, meaning they are more able to strengthen the immune system and rid the body of free radicals.