Eating for Immunity

Strengthen your immune system with these 5 foods.

The great Greek physician, Hippocrates (The Father of Medicine) once quoted “Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food”.

This historic quote dates back to 460BC, yet today can be supported with current evidence-based science into the healing power of food.

Add these 5 immune-boosting foods to your diet to strengthen immunity and support recovery.

1. Ginger – Its botanical name ‘Zingiber’ is derived from its Sansrik name: singabera meaning “horn-shaped”. This heated horn can not only boost your immune system but also calm it down during times of chronic inflammation or autoimmunity (aggressive immunity). It is known to modulate immune cells bringing the body back to balance. Ginger was noted as being used to fight the great plague in 1720 and was used as a regular table setting beside salt & pepper, even sprinkled on top of beer in pubs!
   
   Tip - Add 1 tsp of freshly chopped ginger to your lemon & honey drink for added warmth & vitality.
   
   
2. Garlic - “Garlic then have power to save from death, bear with it though it maketh unsavoury breath...” As quoted by The Englishman’s Doctor in the year 1609 to summarize garlic’s virtues and faults. Garlic has been witnessed in Sanskrit remedies approximately 5,000 years ago and more recently has been shown to boost the immunity’s natural killer cells to fight against infection. Allicin is a compound of garlic that is most heavily documented for its health benefits. Chopping or crushing garlic stimulates the power of allicin by making it more bioavailable within the body.
   
   Tip - Finely chop two cloves of raw garlic and add it to your tomato on toast, with olive oil and fresh basil.
   
   
3. Fermented foods – Since 70% of immune-protective lymphocytes are located within the digestive tract, having a healthy gut and microbiome is crucial for a strong immune system. Powerful bacteria strains such as lactobacillus rhamnosus and bifidobacterium longum that reside within the microbiome have a strong effect at boosting the body’s natural immune response with it comes to fighting infection.
   
   Tip - Try fermenting some local veg in a sea salt brine, or buy Wild Delicious Turmeric Gut Shots.
   
   
4. Mushrooms - The common button mushroom is rich in immune-enhancing nutrients such as selenium, zinc and B vitamins, however, it’s the medicinal mushroom of Shiitake, Maitake and Reishi that have been used for over 6,000 years in Chinese medicine for their immune-boosting properties.
   
   Tip - Add some medicinal mushrooms into a warm bone broth for a gut-healing, immune-boosting pick-me-up.
   
   
5. Thyme - This highly anti-bacterial garden herb is underrated when it comes to the immune system – especially when conditions involve the lungs or excess mucous. It has been used for over 4,000 for medicinal purposes for conditions of the respiratory system and can be found today in many cough remedies.
   
   Tip - Use a handful of fresh thyme from the garden and add it to a bowl of warm oats with fresh ginger and local honey for a warming cough-soothing breakfast.