Lifeimmune systemsuperfoodsWinter

Fed Up Of Being Ill? Top 10 Foods For Boosting Your Immune System This Winter

Fed Up Of Being Ill? Top 10 Foods To Boost Your Immune System
Natasha Preskey
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In January, the coldest, baddest, longest month of them all, our immune systems could do with a boost to help us avoid joining the office cough chorus.

What we eat can be a huge factor in assisting our immune systems.

Dr Frank Lipman says: “A strong immune system relies heavily on having a healthy, well-functioning gut – as 70% of your immune system is in the gut — and probiotics help keep your gut engine humming.”

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Dr Mayur Joshi, medical advisor for the Human Health Care division at Probiotics International Ltd, has put together the tips below to help you eat your way to better immunity this winter.

Top Ten Foods To Boost Your Immune System
Artichoke (01 of10)
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A rainbow of colourful seasonal organic local vegetables offer a wide range of nutrients that work together to support effective immune function.
Raspberries(02 of10)
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Pick local berries and fruits mid-summer, both are rich in vitamin C & E and full of antioxidants to build up the immune system before the winter months.
Yoghurt(03 of10)
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Traditional fermented foods like yoghurt have been used for centuries to help keep a balanced gut flora and support immune cells located there.
Avocado(04 of10)
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Essential fatty acids found in avocados help support a healthy inflammatory response.
Legumes (05 of10)
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Good quality protein sources like legumes are the building blocks for many immune cells.
Oysters(06 of10)
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Beta-glucans found in oysters are now widely believed to support healthy immunity.
Mushrooms(07 of10)
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Dietary nucleotides found in mushrooms as well as meat and fish are building blocks for DNA and RNA synthesis now known to support the production and function of immune cells.
Sage (08 of10)
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Culinary herbs like sage which are used in cooking are reputed to have immune-boosting benefits.
Natural sugar alternatives(09 of10)
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Use a natural sugar alternative to minimise your intake of processed sugar and refined carbohydrates that suppress the immune system and feed bad bacteria in the gut. A new one on the market is palmyra jaggery from Conscious Food.
Garlic(10 of10)
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This list wouldn’t be complete without garlic, which has been used for centuries as a natural antimicrobial to fight infections. Cook it lightly to retain the active ingredient allicin.

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