Boost Your Immune System with These Foods in Vacaville

Your immune system needs all the support more than ever especially with the rising panic that's brought upon by covid19. With that in mind, you need to choose the foods you eat carefully because not all can be beneficial for your immune system and your overall health.

So, it's time to start planning your meals by making it packed with these suggestions from Vacaville Chiropractors on these immune system boosters.

10 Immune System Boosting Foods in Vacaville

• Broccoli - This green vegetable is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It comes with vitamins A, C, and E, plus fiber and antioxidants, which makes it a powerhouse that needs to be added into your diet. The best way to retain all its nutrients is by cooking it as little as possible or perhaps just eat it fresh.
• Citrus Fruits - Whenever a person feels sick, they immediately turn to vitamin C to help their body cope with it. Vitamin C helps strengthen your immune system and is thought to increase white blood cells production. You can get your daily dose of vitamin C through citrus fruits like clementines, grapefruit, lemons, lime, oranges, and tangerines. It is important to acquire vitamin C from food sources since your body doesn't naturally produce it. With lots of citrus fruits to choose from, you will surely come up with a way on which one to add to your next meal.
• Ginger - Apart from citrus fruits, people also turn to ginger whenever they get sick. Ginger can reduce inflammation, which is great for a sore throat and other inflammatory diseases. If you're feeling nauseous, then ginger can also do the trick. Even though it's commonly used in many sweet desserts, ginger can provide some heat in the form of gingerol, which is a relative of capsaicin. It can even help reduce chronic pain and lower down your cholesterol levels. With these healing properties, you can say that it's close to being called natural medicine.
• Garlic - This is used in almost every cuisine you can think of. Garlic can provide the 'zing' your food needs and it's something that you'd want to have for your health. Even early civilizations recognize garlic for its ability to fight off infections. It can lower blood pressure and prevent the hardening of the arteries. The immune-boosting properties of garlic can be attributed to its high concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.
• Turmeric - In curries, turmeric is used as a key ingredient. It has also been used as an anti-inflammatory substance that can treat both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Turmeric also contains a high concentration of curcumin, which is responsible for giving its distinctive color and its ability to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage.
• Spinach - Apart from being rich in vitamin C, spinach also contains several antioxidants and beta carotene, which can boost our immune system's ability to fight off infection. Just like broccoli, spinach must be cooked as little as possible to retain its nutrients. However, cooking it lightly will enhance its vitamin A and will make other nutrients be released from oxalic acid.
• Papaya - Papaya is a vitamin C-loaded fruit. In single papaya, you can already acquire 224% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C. They also contain a digestive enzyme called papain which has anti-inflammatory effects. Apart from vitamin C, papayas also contain B vitamins, folate, and potassium, which are all needed for a healthier body.
• Shellfish - You may be surprised that shellfish is included in the list but there are some types that are loaded with zinc. Compared to other vitamins and minerals, zinc doesn't get much attention. However, they are essential in making sure that our immune cells can function as they should. The varieties of shellfish that are rich in zinc include clams, crabs, lobsters, and mussels. Remember, you don't need more than the recommended daily amount of zinc in your diet because too much of it can inhibit the function of your immune system.
• Green Tea - Black and green teas are full of flavonoids, which is a type of antioxidant. But green tea excels in its levels of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is another powerful antioxidant. EGCG enhances the function of the immune system and is known as a good source of the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine helps in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.
• Poultry - When you're sick, you normally crave for something hot like chicken soup. Chicken soup can improve your cold symptoms and can even prevent you from getting sick in the first place. Poultry like chicken and turkey are rich in vitamin B-6, which is a key player in the majority of the chemical reactions that happen in your body. It can also help produce new and healthy blood cells. When you boil chicken bones, the stock or broth formed by it contains chondroitin, gelatin, and other nutrients that promote gut healing and immunity.

Hopefully, you can get your hands on these foods and ingredients to make your immune system stronger than ever. For more questions and answers regarding your health, you can get some information from Dr. Alex Tam of Vacaville. He's the owner of the top chiropractic and holistic center in Solano county so you can be sure that he's the right professional to talk about it.