How to Boost Your Immune System with Certain Types of Food

If you are looking for ways to boost your immune system this winter, try something simple: eat certain foods. Some foods boost the immune system, so eating these foods may be a simple way to keep you healthy.

It may sound surprising, but beef can help the immune system. Beef is a great source of zinc and only three ounces a day is enough to reap the benefits. Zinc can also be found in oysters, pork, poultry, milk, yogurt and even fortified cereals.

Yogurt helps your immune system for another reason: probiotics. Probiotics strengthen the immune system in general -- a recent study showed ¾ cup of yogurt a day led to 25% fewer colds.

Salmon, tuna, crabmeat and lobster can also give your immune system a boost. These foods are good sources of iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium. They also contain vitamins A, C, D, E and B. Salmon may have other health benefits because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent arthritis, cancer and heart disease. These acids may even alleviate symptoms of depression and boost general mental function.

Orange vegetables also help out our immune system because they have vitamin A, which strengthens the skin, and the skin is our body's first line of defense. Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash and carrots all qualify as orange vegetables.

Red bell peppers contain vitamin C, which is vital to our immune systems. Just one red bell pepper can have 200 milligrams.

Ginger can be added to many recipes, and it can help the immune system as well. The Chinese have long considered ginger to be a cure-all for colds; it may help your body expel toxins.

Not everyone likes them, but mushrooms are quite helpful to the body. Mushrooms, especially maitake and shiitake, help the body produce white blood cells and may even help the white blood cells become stronger.

You can also do yourself a favor by adding garlic to food. Garlic has sulfur-based compounds that can boost your immune system. Just one or two peeled cloves a day may do the trick.

Eggs contain many nutrients that help the body. Zinc, B vitamins and amino acids can all be found in eggs. These ingredients help the body produce antibodies and white blood cells.

You may also be doing yourself a favor by eating strawberries or spinach. These foods are antioxidants that may help the body combat oxygen radicals that damage cells.

Sources:

http://www.mindbodyhealth.com/boost_immune.htm

Fitness Magazine, December 2007 to January 2008 issue, page 76-77

http://ezinearticles.com/?Foods-That-Boost-the-Immune-System&id=290317

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