Boost Your Immune System with These 3 Common Kitchen Items

It’s no secret that we’re in the thick of cold & flu season and catching a bug can bring chaos to any household. The immune system is such a vital piece to our overall health and well being. It protects us against disease-causing organisms, known as pathogens, so taking action to help strengthen your immune system can help trigger your bodies immune response and its ability defend.

While the items mentioned in this post are by no means cures or treatments for the flu, they have been shown to help strengthen your immune system which is extremely important for helping your body fight off unwanted pathogens. However, if you are suffering from the flu, you should definitely speak with your doctor or health care provider.

The following are a few of my favourite, simple ways to help support our immune system on a daily basis.

Lemon (Citrus limon) - Not only do lemons brighten up any room with their vibrant colour, they are full of vitamin A, B1, B2, B3 and C. In fact, the fruit of the lemon contains twice as much vitamin C as oranges, making it a great option for immune support. Adding lemons to your daily diet can be as easy as keeping a jar of chilled lemon water in the fridge, squeezing some juice into a green tea, or adding to your dishes. When I start to feel the tingle of a sore throat, I drink a tablespoon of straight lemon juice.

My favourite mixture to keep in the fridge is juice from 1 - 2 lemons, cut up cucumber in a 1 litre of water. I store it in a glass mason jar and sip on it throughout the day.

Ginger - Not only is ginger a great addition to many culinary dishes, it has been used in Asia and medieval Europe since the earliest times to relieve headaches, joint pain, morning sickness and more. It’s anti-inflammatory and anti-viral actions make it a great addition to your diet for cold & flu season. It’s easy to chop and add to any dish, or shred a piece into some hot water with lemon.

I love adding 1 tsp of raw honey, juice of half a lemon and 1/2 inch thick piece of shredded ginger into a cup of boiling water.

Garlic - Originally from central Asia, garlic has long been used medicinally to counter infections of the chest, nose and throat, and was used as a treatment for all infections prior to the development of antibiotics. According to the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, there have been over 1,000 research papers published on the medicinal uses of garlic. It’s antibiotic and anti-fungal actions make it something I try to incorporate into my diet daily. Simply chop and add to any, and I mean ANY dish for some extra flavour. You can also remove the skin and steep 2-3 cloves in a litre of water. At the onset of a cold or flu I turn to garlic pills, which are capsules containing garlic oil, following the direction of my Naturopathic Doctor. Speak to your healthcare provider before taking any herbs medicinally.

As we all fight our way through cold & flu season, and welcome winter with open (or closed) arms, lets cheers to eating for our health!