Best Foods to Build Your Immune System

The immune system is filled with protective cells called white blood cells. There are many different types and all work to kill bacteria, pathogens, eat harmful cells, and neutralize toxins including metabolic waste. Some even make antibodies.

build immune system

Our bodies must constantly regenerate and build new white blood cells, especially when harmful toxins enter. But your body needs the building blocks to make the new while cells. These building blocks are the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other components that are found in whole, fresh foods and whole foods supplements.

By eating a diet to build the immune system, you will keep your body ready to defend itself anytime the “bad guys” come to visit. Your diet will be the first part of what you can do to help your body gain the strength to do this.

As you add the right foods that will help you build your immune system, you also must clean up your diet by eliminating foods that suppress it.

First of all, white, refined sugar has an adverse effect on the immune system - it can literally stop your immune system from working. Junk foods and processed foods are not much better as they contain no natural nutrients that your body can use to make the white blood cells when needed. In addition, they are full of the harmful toxins that your immune system will want to defend you against.

Consuming foods that cleanse your body can supercharge your immune system. Toxins and built up waste lodged in the intestinal tract constantly feed pathogens back into the blood stream. This forces your body to fight these toxins constantly, leaving less strength to ward of daily cold, flu and other daily pathogens.

Therefore, a good immune building diet will include foods that take the burden off of your digestive system and help your body clear waste allowing your body more energy and white blood cells to fight the daily virus, bacteria, cancer cells and other invaders that we come into contact with on a daily basis.

Fresh Whole Vegetables are full of phytonutrients that your body uses to keep your immune system strong. These phytonutrients stimulate the release of enzymes within our bodies to protect cells and rebuild damaged cells. They also fight cancer. Our bodies come into contact with carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) every day.

We also constantly make cells, and some rogue cells may reproduce themselves leading to damage or cancer of an organ. In many cases our bodies’ recognize and attack these out-of-control cells. Phytonutrients help our bodies do this and can also shut down pre-cancerous cells and neutralize carcinogens. No vitamin pill can give you this power!

Veggies that are the strongest for an immune building diet include; carrots, sweet potatoes, asparagus, kale, red and green peppers, broccoli and the dark leafy greens such as turnip greens, collard greens, spinach and romaine lettuce.

Fresh Whole Fruits are also full of phytonutrients. They are immune building and natural detoxifiers of the body. Fruits are full of antioxidants and enzymes that protect our cells from damage. Many of the berries and red apples are high in flavonoids that protect us from heart disease.

Fruits to help build immune system include; pink and red grapefruit, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, red apples, red grapes, bananas, cranberries, tomatoes, mangoes, tangerines, nectarines, peaches, oranges and watermelon.

Omega 3’s are healthy fats that have an immune building quality. They are anti-inflammatory and help prevent auto-immune disorders. They are needed in order for the body to absorb certain vitamins.

Foods containing Omega 3’s include; ground flax seeds, walnuts, soybeans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, salmon, mackerel, and herring.

Good Bacteria found in the intestinal lining, keep your immune system healthy. These healthy organisms stimulate the immune system, increase antibodies, and inhibit the absorption of pathogenic organisms such as e.coli and salmonella. Be sure that you and your children consume healthy, live bacteria especially at times of illness.

Foods containing good bacteria are; yogurt (check the label for live bacteria), and fermented foods such as homemade sauerkraut, miso and kifir.

Folate is essential for preventing damage to blood vessels and brain cells and ensures DNA integrity. The dark leafy greens are high in folate and include the following; spinach, romaine lettuce, mustard, turnip and collard greens, and kale.

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SuperCharge Both Immune Systems - That's right... You have the "innate" immune system and a back-up for when that fails!