How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally

the benefits of turmeric to stay healthy

These top five natural ingredients will help boost your immune system and may even help you fight off COVID-19

We chat to Victoria-based Naturopath Practitioner and Holistic Councillor Angela Cali on how we can all boost our immune system naturally to stay healthy during the global COVID-19 crisis.

Angela is an accredited Naturopath and is registered with the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. She incorporates a unique test called RBTI analysis, which is samples of urine and saliva which are then analysed to understand on a biochemical level, any imbalances present in the body, and target the area of greatest need. This analysis forms the basis of the treatment programs to help Angela’s client’s achieve optimal health.

In a world now ruled by social distancing and self-isolation in order to #stopthespread it has never been more important to maintain good health to help us stay strong and healthy to fight back the COVID-19.

Naturopath and Holistic Councillor Angela Cali.

“It is important to think about ways that we can support and maintain a healthy immune system through our diet.” Angela says.

“Keeping our immune systems healthy has certainly become front of mind in the recent weeks. While there is certainly no conclusive proof that the food we eat or supplements we take will protect us from infection entirely. A nutritious diet will always help our bodies maintain a healthy immune response to anything that comes our way in terms of colds, flu and viruses.

Eating plenty of immune boosting ingredients is just one of the steps we can take, along with getting enough sleep and regular exercise.”

Here are Angela’s top five immune boosting ingredients which may help you fight off COVID-19:

Turmeric:

Ayurveda; a system of alternative medicine with historical roots in India, has been extolling the benefits of turmeric for hundreds of years and with good reason. It’s anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and importantly contains anti-oxidant properties which help boost immunity.

The curcumin in turmeric has been shown to have potent immunomodulatory effects, directly enhancing the immune activity, when exposed to virus’ and pathogens. Its effective anti-oxidant action supports the immune system during times of stress and illness.

Try: To get some turmeric into your day try making a turmeric latte using warm milk, honey and cinnamon and TurmeriX powder or if you prefer supplements you can try TurmeriX capsules.

Prebiotics and Probiotics:

By now most of us have heard about the benefits of pre and probiotics for gut health, but did you know they also assist in boosting immunity? In fact, 70% of the immune system resides in our gut, so it’s essential to support this system. An abundance of varied strains of bacteria living in our digestive tract provides natural immune support.

Try: Prebiotic foods include, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, unflavoured yoghurts, apple cider vinegar, artichokes, chicory root, garlic, onion, asparagus, dandelion greens, banana and flaxseeds.

vitamin c can be found in a range of fruits and vegetables
A delicious range of fruits and vegetables, which all contain natural vitamin C.

Vitamin C and Bioflavonoid Containing Foods:

Arguably the queen of immune boosting ingredients – Vitamin C is our winter go-to for its anti-microbial activity and immune supporting functions.

Vitamin C has been shown to reduce the number of days sick when struck down with a virus, while bioflavonoids enhance the action of Vitamin C and possess anti-oxidant effects.

Although citrus has a high percentage of Vitamin C, I often tell my patients to choose foods high in both Vitamin C and flavonoids. Be sure to eat the pulp and white core of these citrus fruits and veggies for their bioflavonoid benefits.

Try: Red, green or yellow capsicum, sweet potato, kiwifruit, papaya, berries, broccoli and kale.

Zinc:

Zinc is the quiet immune boosting achiever that often gets overlooked. Zinc is required for numerous processes in the immune system. If deficient, this may lead to a compromised immune function and increased susceptibility to illness.

Try: Non-processed meat, shellfish, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans), seeds (hemp, pumpkin, sesame, squash), nuts (cashews, almonds, pine), eggs, whole grains (quinoa, rice, oats).

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple Cider Vinegar is one ingredient that has a lot to give. Not only does it enhance digestion and the assimilation and absorption of nutrients, it also alkalises once digested.

Apple cider vinegar has an antibacterial action, as it supports our lymphatic system to excrete pathogens and viruses swiftly from our body, via its supportive action on our detoxification pathways.

Try: 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in warm water, or combine with olive oil as a salad dressing.

Rebecca Wilkinson

Beauty Editor

Rebecca is a freelance content creator and beauty editor for Bondi Beauty. She is a pescatarian, who may yet become vegan. She loves all things beauty, health & travel, has a weakness for coffee and is obsessed with cats and yoga. If she's not answering her mobile - it's probably because she's trying out the latest beauty trend, like massaging crushed pearls into her skin for the ultimate collagen and vitamin boost to skin cells.

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