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According to an article in She Knows your immune system is your body’s defense against infection and illness. When it’s weak, you have a harder time staying healthy. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is with proper nutrition.
By consuming foods that are rich in protein; fiber; amino acids; probiotics;prebiotics; antioxidants; zinc; and vitamins A, C and E, you can help protect yourself against infection and boost your immunity.
These are the foods to include in your diet:
- Garlic- Stimulate white blood cells and other immune cells to fight viruses and infections by eating garlic, and for the biggest boost try it raw and finely minced in dressings or dips like hummus.
- Mushrooms- Selenium and B vitamins in these help boost your immune system.
- Oysters- They contain more zinc than any other food and it has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Kefir- This cultured, fermented drink is packed with probiotics, which help lower infection rates and support immune system health.
- Sunflower seeds- Full of vitamin E, these help boost immunity.
- Guava- This tropical fruit has 350% more vitamin C than an orange, and it’s loaded with vitamin A, lycopene, fiber, and vitamin K, too.
- Yogurt- It’s also a great source of probiotics to protect your immune system.
- Asparagus- This tasty veggie is a prebiotic, which is the food needed for probiotics in the gut to survive.
- Lentils- Quick and easy to cook, this legume is chock-full of zinc, iron and folate.