It’s officially transitioned from summer to fall, and the headline of this story is no doubt what many of us are pondering this week. The infamous fall cold is both perplexing and frustrating, but there are ways to avoid it starting from what you consume. Our expert nutritionist (and Hayden Panettiere doppelgänger) Mikaela Reuben came to the rescue with immune-boosting strategies and recipes. So rather than doing that whole thing where you ignore the scratchy throat for four days than try to kill it with an unnecessary Z-pack: approach it the healthy way with her tips…
Tips to Boost Your Immune System:
1. Introduce immune tonifying medicinal mushrooms into your diet – use Reishi, Maitake, and Shitake mushrooms in tinctures, teas, or soups
2. Blend apple cider vinegar with ginger, turmeric, chili, and raw honey. Use this as a salad dressing base or add warm water and drink as a tea. This concoction is anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and boosts circulation
3. Use ginger, garlic, onion, turmeric, thyme, and oregano in cooking! Add to teas, soups and smoothies. These boost the immune system and add flavor. These ingredients are high in volatile oils, anti-microbial, and are immune boosting. Fresh herbs contain more of the active compounds than dried herbs, so combine as many as you can to receive the most benefits!
4. Incorporate more Vitamin C! Vitamin C is critical to immune function and a very important nutritional antioxidant. It strengthens the immune system, especially against the common cold.
Top Sources of Vitamin C:
1. Acerola
2. Red Chilli Peppers
3. Guavas
4. Red sweet peppers
5. Kale leaves
6. Parsley
7. Collard leaves
8. Turnip greens
9. Sweet green peppers
10. Broccoli
Incorporate These Health Boosting Ingredients Into Your Diet:
GINGER
This all-natural superfood is the ultimate in immune boosting and detoxifying properties.
BERRIES
Berries contain a ton of immune-boosting nutrients: vitamin C, fiber and natural energy for the whole day.
LEAFY GREENS
Leafy greens are the full of vitamins A and C, as well as protein, fiber and calcium. They help clear out any toxins and help your body stay strong.
GARLIC
Garlic is a well known immune booster and is most beneficial when consumed in its raw form. Heating can inactivate some of the beneficial enzymes which can decrease garlic’s anti-microbial benefits. Try adding garlic to your cooking last to avoid overheating or add raw garlic to fresh juice!
BEET GREENS
Rich in calcium, iron, and Vitamins A and C. Use these greens in place of spinach or kale for salads and smoothies, or sautéed!
BEETS
Beets provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support and are great in dips, soups, and juices.
HORSERADISH
Horseradish boosts your immune system and increases blood flow which aids in the removal of toxins and bacteria.
Immune Boosting Recipes:
Horseradish Beet dip
Ingredients
5 small beets
Freshly grated horseradish (as much as you can handle)
½ cup of cashew nuts (soaked in water for 6 hours), blended with filtered water until smooth
Salt, pepper, pressed garlic, and lemon juice (to taste)
Directions
Peel beets and chop into small pieces and steam for about 15 minutes. Beet is done when it can be easily pierced with a fork.
Add cashew cream, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and horseradish in a food processor along with slightly cooled beet. Blend until desired consistency is reached.
Serve cold with veggies, crackers, bread etc.
Immune Juice
Ingredients
1 large clove garlic
¼ inch ginger
2-handful parsley
2 carrots
2 beets
1 lemon
1 granny smith
1-handful dandelion greens
¼ inch turmeric
Sprinkle of cayenne on top after
Read Mikaela’s tips on how to lose weight here. Also check out her amazing smoothie cleanse. She also gave us tips on how to use probiotics.
