1.Vitamin C
Enhance your immune system by eating foods rich in vitamin C such as berries, lemons, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, oranges, bell peppers, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans or by taking vitamin C supplements, from 500mg to 2,000mg each day. Megadoses (more that 1 gram) of vitamin C may lessen the duration and severity of cold symptoms, as well as help prevent infections. To preserve Vitamin C when cooking, add raw vegetables to boiled water and only boil them for a few minutes.
2.Echinacea
Drink Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) tea, steep 1 teaspoon of dried herb in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to three times a day. It has long been used as a blood purifier and to help build up resistance to bacterial and viral infections. The dried root of this popular perennial is available in dried loose herb, tea bags, liquid tincture and capsule.
3.Put Zinc in your diet
To boost your immune systems resistance to all types of infections, eat plenty of zinc-rich foods, such as organic lean meats, seafood, eggs, wholegrain cereals, pulses and herring or take a daily multi-nutrient supplement that includes zinc. This essential mineral is also available in liquid, tablet or in a throat lozenge.
4.Mash mallow
Pump up the power of your immune system in its fight against invading microbes with mash mallow (Althaea officinalis). The roots of this plant, which is unrelated to the campfire candy named marshmallow, contain a spongy substance that is believed to support the immune cells in their fight against invading microbes.
5.Pungent Power Garlic
Add garlic (Allium sativum), raw or cooked, to your diet to boost your immune system and to help fight infections. Or take up to four capsules of powdered garlic or garlic oil each day.
6.Parasitic Cure
Try Pau d’arco (tabebuia impetiginosa) to help your immune system fight fungal, bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. Take 15 drops of pau d’arco tincture twice a day or 1 capsule twice a day or drink 2 cups of pau d’arco tea daily.
7.Viral Resistance
To fight viral infections and enhance the function of the immune cells, herbalists recommend taking astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus). This herb contains substances known as polysaccharides, which are believed to stimulate the immune system and generally strengthen the body, promoting tissue regeneration and increasing energy. Astragalus is available as a prepared tea, fluid extract, capsule and commonly found in formulas with other immune boosting herbs and nutrients.
8.Happiness and Health
Feel good about yourself.
It is true, stress depresses the immunity, and feeling good strengthens it. One study recently conducted discovered that the impact of positive experiences such as expressions of love or feelings of accomplishment created resistance to infection, while the effects of negative events such as self criticism or arguments suppressed immunity allowing the infection to take hold of the body. If your immune system has become depressed from tension build up, take some time out for your self and have a massage or a relaxing bath adding in relaxing essential oils of lavender, jasmine and chamomile.
Relax with a cup of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita) and energize your immune system in the process. Chamomile has been used for centuries for its relaxing qualities and immune- boosting benefits.
9.Mushroom Boosters
To stimulate the immune system and help maintain good health eat one shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom a day. You can incorporate shiitake mushrooms two or three times a week for general health benefits. These mushrooms contain oligosaccharides, known to be extremely potent immune stimulators.
10.Quit for your Immunity
If you are a smoker one great thing you can do for your immune system is to eliminate chronic, nagging challengers to it. This is but one more reason to stop the cigarette habit. Smoking assaults mucous membranes and the lungs, increasing your susceptibility to all sorts of respiratory infections that can make your immune system work harder than it needs to.
11.Sleep is the Key
Set up a regular sleeping schedule and get plenty of rest with out sleeping pills. If you need help falling asleep try some herbs like Valerian (Valariana officinalis), Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), Hops (Hummulus Iupulus), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Ziziphys (Zizyphus spinosa) and Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis )
12.Healthy Bacteria
We can strengthen the immune system’s resistance to infection by taking supplements of Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium bifidum, two breeds of “friendly” bacteria that normally live in the human gastrointestinal. It is available in either powder or capsule at the health food store.
