Effective Veggie Immune Boosters

Your immune system provides your body’s natural defence mechanism against disease and germs by recognising the cells that make up your body and attacking unfamiliar substances like bacteria and viruses.

Your body is exposed to millions of germs on a daily basis, and it’s your immune system’s job to fight them and stop you from getting sick.

If the germs do make it past the body’s defences causing you to get sick, your immune system jumps in and works to get rid of the infection. It also remembers how to fight the infection if the same germ comes again.

Diet, exercise, healthy lifestyle habits and natural medicines can all help support your immune system to allow it to do its best work.

These following approaches and foods can help to reduce the number of colds, flus and other illnesses you suffer or may help lessen the severity of symptoms from illnesses and reduce downtime when you catch a cold or flu.

Immune system boosters
Feeding your body certain foods can help keep your immune system strong. If you’re looking for ways to prevent winter colds and the flu, your first step should be a visit to your local Farmers Market.

Most people turn to vitamin C after they’ve caught a cold. That’s because it helps build up your immune system. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells. These are key to fighting infections.

Have regular small serves of citrus
Vitamin C is not stored in the body and requires regular small doses from our fruit, veggies and supplements. Good sources include grapefruit, oranges, mandarins, lemons and limes. Squeeze the juice from one into a glass of water each morning (lemon is a great option here)  and also include one in your daily snack. (This may not be suitable with those with heartburn tendencies).

Incorporate Capsicum into your daily salads
If you think citrus fruits have the most vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable, think again. Gram for gram, red capsicum contains twice as much vitamin C as our favourite citrus. They’re also a rich source of beta carotene. Besides boosting your immune system, vitamin C may help maintain healthy skin and beta carotene helps keep your eyes healthy.