Your immune cells, barriers, and signaling molecules are highly dependent on your good nutrition. But it is time to begin thinking about beyond blueberries, vegetables, and chicken broth, and instead to crave into advanced, little-known foods that can support your immune system with great efficacy.
1. Raw milk
Unpasteurized, grass-fed organic raw milk contains a host of beneficial bacteria that prime your immune system. Though not approved yet by the FDA, this type of milk is an outstanding source of nutrients, especially vitamin A, zinc, and digestive enzymes. Raw milk also contains beneficial fats that will help your immune system.
2. Natto
If you’re serious about boosting your immunity, then you must also add fermented foods, which are rich in bacteria that nourish your digestive tract.Good bacteria have an extremely beneficial effect on your gut’s immune system, your first line of defense against pathogens, and these foods also aid in the production of antibodies.
3. Organ meats
Organ meats such as liver, kidney, heart, and other “scary” areas of an animal are very high in vitamins A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, zinc, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), all of which provide your immune system with tons of concentrated support.
4. Coconut manna
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin. Monolaurin is the actual compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immunity, and lauric acid can enhance adult immunity, too. This medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) in coconut oil actually disrupts the lipid membranes of offending organisms and bacteria.
5. Dirty vegetables
When it comes to fighting off pathogens, you simply can’t do any better than eating an enormous variety of fresh, organic vegetables for the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes they contain.
6. Mushrooms
Mushrooms strengthen your immune system because they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, and other minerals.
Mushrooms also contain powerful compounds called beta-glucans, which are well-known for their immune-enhancing properties. The beta-glucans in medicinal mushrooms (especially reishi, shiitake, and maitake versions) are particularly notable for their ability to activate and modulate your immune system cells.
7. Algae
Take one version of algae, for example, chlorella. As foods go, chlorella is nearly perfect. It is a single-cell fresh water algae that acts as an extremely efficient detoxification agent by binding to toxins, such as mercury and other heavy metals and infectious agents, and then carries those out of your system.
8. Garlic
Stinky garlic is incredibly beneficial to your immune system because it produces a trifold effect: It’s antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal.I’m a firm believer that for ideal immune-system strength, you should be eating garlic nearly every day. One of the best things about garlic is that, unlike synthetic antibiotics, bacteria, viruses, and yeast build up no resistance to it.
Source: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/