1. Ginger Tea
With cold and flu season occurring, if you're not careful, you could be one of the thousands of people who get sick. One of the ways to protect yourself is by getting your annual flu shot.
However, there are also OTHER ways to prevent getting sick, and they are edible. Here's 20 foods you should definitely add into your diet if you're trying to prevent your immune system.
Ginger is known as one of the best foods to relieve a cold due to it's potent anti-inflammatory properties.
2.Oranges
Because inflammation can effect your body's immune response, anti-inflammatory ginger can boost your immunity.
It's a well known fact that oranges are packed with Vitamin C, which is an essential nutrient if you're feeling under the weather.
3.Greek Yogurt
Vitamin C is helpful in preventing the common cold for people who are exposed to environments that are sickness inducing and can help lower the severity of your cold.
Greek Yogurt is packed with more protein than regular yogurt, and it is also filled with sickness fighting probiotics.
4.Water
Researchers did a study and discovered that people who ate more probiotics daily had a lower risk of catching a cold than those who didn't.
Your old friend H2O can be one of the most helpful drinks to sip on when you're feeling sick.
5.Blueberries
It is recommended to drink at least eight glasses a day in order to keep your body fully hydrated.
Blueberries have antioxidants within them that can help treat and prevent coughs and colds.
6.Ginseng Tea
It was discovered that consuming flavonoids, a type of antioxidant within blueberries made adults 33 percent less likely to catch a cold.
Ginseng Tea has gained a great reputation for tasting delicious. However, the tea is also a great treatment for upper respiratory infections (AKA a cold).
7.Tomatoes
Ginseng has also shown to reduce the symptoms of colds and influenza by a significant amount.
Tomatoes, like oranges also have a high concentration in vitamin C.
8.Wild Salmon
In fact, one medium tomato contains over 16 milligrams of vitamin C, which is proven to fuel your immune system.
9. Dark Chocolate
Wild salmon is full of zinc, which is a nutrient that has been proven to assist with colds and sickness, especially in children.
SURPRISINGLY, dark chocolate has a high concentrate in theobromine, known to alleviate coughing.
10. Broccoli
Studies have shown that dark chocolate has alleviated the symptoms of bronchitis.
If you're trying to prevent a cold, broccoli can be a great addition to your diet.
11. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Broccoli has been known to boost immunity with it's nutrient, sulforaphane.
12. Green Tea
Olive oil's high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids acts as an inflammatory agent, while also guarding your body's immune system and boosting your immunity.
Green Tea is not only used to boost your immunity, it can also be a great weight loss tool along with containing anti-inflammatory properties.
13. Spinach
The anti-oxidant catechin, which is in green tea has been known to be a strong antibacterial and can fight off bacteria that cause colds.
14. Whole-Grain Bread
Spinach is not just overall great for your health, but it also contains digestion regulating fiber, and vitamin c.
Whole grain bread contains anti-inflammatory properties which allows for an increase in growing healthy bacteria.
15.Eggs
(Yes, there is such a thing).
Eggs, most importantly the yolk, is packed with immunity boosting nutrients.
16.Garlic
Eggs have a high amount of vitamin D within them which is vital in strengthening and regulating immunity.
Garlic is known to be one of the best foods to fight off a cold.
17. Apples
A study showed that participants who ate garlic over a three month period only had 24 cases of the common cold in total, while the opposing group had a total of 65.
Apples can prevent the common cold with it's phytochemical antioxidants that are known to help boost immunity and reduce the risk of chronic illness.
18. Red Bell Peppers
You know what they say, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
If you think that citrus have the most vitamin C, think again.
19. Almonds
It is shown that red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C in comparison to citrus fruits and are also a rich source of beta carotene.
Although vitamin E can take a backseat to vitamin C, it is still essential to build a healthy immune system. Nuts, like almonds have a ton of vitamins in them, along with healthy fats.
(There's such a thing). A half-cup serving of almonds contains the daily recommended amount of vitamin E.