Flu season is rough. The best way to avoid getting sick is by supporting your immune system throughout the year. This can be done naturally, at home with diet and supplements. I've already done a couple of posts of how to survive flu season: Preparing for the Flu Season and Surviving the Flu Season. Today I'd like to focus on foods that support the immune system.
Vitamin C-
We all know that when you start to feel under the weather, you take high doses of vitamin C to kick-start your immune system. Foods such as grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines, clementines, red peppers, papaya, broccoli, and spinach are all high in vitamin C.
Vitamin D-
I did a post dedicated to vitamin D and all its benefits. You can check it out here: Vitamin D. Getting out in the sun can be a little more difficult in the winter when it's too cold to go outside. There are plenty of wonderful foods that contain this essential vitamin, such as whole milk yogurt, fish, kale, olive oil, and sunflower seeds (to name only a few).
Vitamin E-
This vitamin is an essential antioxidant and free-radical fighter. Foods such as sunflower seeds, broccoli, almonds, and avocados are high in vitamin E.
Turmeric, ginger, and garlic are also wonderful to add to your diet as they lower inflammation and kill bacteria that can cause infection/illness. I also highly recommend bone broth as it's immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, and digestive aid properties. I will dedicate a whole post to bone broth in the future.
What are your favorite foods to eat for immune boosting?
If you would like more information on foods and their benefits, I recommend that you check out my book, A Dancer's Diary, as it contains an entire chapter dedicated to eating to boosting the immune system.
I hope that you have a happy and healthy winter!
Until next time,
Amanda
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