Feeding your body certain kinds of food can help in keeping your immune system healthy. In times of the pandemic, it is of utmost importance to be extra cautious and avoid getting infected. As such, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy and robust immune system, especially now more than ever.
There are several ways to improve our immune system and prepare the body to fight any foreign pathogens. Getting a good night’s sleep and moderately exercising are some of the ways to build immunity. However, much depends on the diet and what one eats. A proper diet including proteins, vitamins, and rich nutrients will boost the body’s immunity power and keep you fit and healthy. A prominent method of boosting immunity is to incorporate seeds and herbs into the diet.
Herbs and seeds have anti-inflammatory properties that build up the body’s natural immunity. Let’s look at six seeds and herbs you can have to stay healthy and improve your immunity in 2021.
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Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are acquired from the Cannabis plant. These seeds are a superfood with rich nutrients and health benefits. They have a plentiful quotient of protein, fatty acids, fiber, and omega 3 and 6. Hemp seeds are a super antioxidant product and help enhance the heart, skin, and muscular joints’ health. Additionally, one can also get Sunday Scaries CBD gummies hemp products to relieve stress and anxiety.
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Chia seeds
Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants and omega-3- 3 fatty acids. It helps in enhancing immunity, reducing inflammation, and regulates the inflammatory responses in our body. You can make chia seeds pudding, incorporate them in sweet dishes or even drink chia seeds water. It will surely help you with an excellent metabolism.
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Garlic
Almost every cuisine in the world uses garlic. Garlic is a superfood and a must-have for your health. The best thing about garlic is it adds a little zing to foods. Besides fighting infections, it is also useful in slowing down the hardening process of arteries. Evidence has also shown that garlic helps lower the blood pressure level in our body.
Garlic has anti-microbial, anti-biotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. This pungent-smelling herb increases the number of white blood cells in our body, killing foreign viruses and bacteria. The immunity-building properties of garlic come from a hefty concentration of sulfuric-containing compounds like allicin.
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Ginger
Ginger is another useful kitchen ingredient that many people turn to when they fall sick. Ginger effectively decreases inflammation, reducing inflammatory illness, sore throat, nausea, and intestinal gas. In addition to this, ginger also decreases chronic pain, and it possesses cholesterol-lowering properties.
Ginger is a compound rich in anti-biotic, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The high antioxidant content in ginger helps in enhancing the immune responsive system. You can have ginger tea, ginger shot, or finely chopped ginger in your food to increase this herb’s intake in your everyday diet.
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Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are a rich source of phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B-6, and E. The vitamin E and antioxidant helps regulate and maintain the immune system in our body, and it’s good for the skin. The small crunchy sunflower seeds also contain selenium that helps our body fight certain cancer types and build immunity. You can add this to your oatmeal or salad.
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Turmeric
This bright yellow, bitter spice is a mandatory element in many Asian dishes and curries. Turmeric has plentiful health benefits and is in use over the years as an anti-inflammatory in treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The main component in turmeric, curcumin, has immunity-boosting potential. Research has shown that the high concentration of curcumin helps in decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage. Besides giving turmeric its distinctive color, the compound also activates the white blood cells in our body, enhancing its antibody response.
Conclusion
One should keep in mind that building immunity is a progressive shift and will take some time. A healthy and well-balanced diet with some physical exercises or stretching can improve immunity. The key to proper nutrition is variety. Therefore, it is essential to note that eating just one or two of these herbs and seeds won’t be enough to help fight off the virus or any other infectious diseases, even if you are eating it regularly. Pay special attention to the daily intake recommendation and serving sizes to get too much of a single vitamin or mineral and too little of others. But eating right is a great start to protect you and your family from the virus, flu, cold, or any other illness other than switching to a healthy lifestyle.
Having a robust immune system will play a vital role in keeping the disease-causing virus and bacteria away from our body, and it will also reduce the risk of falling sick. People with the compromised immune system are prone to getting sick quickly, and the symptoms are more severe in them than others.