Immune Boosting Food Selection

 

Ideal Immune Boosting Foods

Immune boosting foods in your diet is crucial for enhancing your bodies defense against illness, cold and flu in 2024. For thousands of years mankind has been fascinated by the causes of diseases and the concept of immunity protecting the body from infectious disease.  Historically the prehistoric view was that disease was caused by supernatural forces and that illness was a form of theurgy also referred to as divine magic as a punishment of “bad deeds” or “evil thoughts” visited by the soul of the gods or by one's enemies. In classical Greek times Hippocrates a Greek physician is regarded as the father of medicine common diseases were attributed to an imbalance in one of the four humors blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile.  The first written concept of immunity descriptions may have been made by the Athen Thucydides who in 430 BC described that when the plague hit Athens a major coastal urban area in the Mediterranean where the sick were tended to by the pitying care of those who have recovered.

They knew the course of the disease and they themselves were free from apprehension for no one was ever attacked a second time with fatal results.  In biology good immunity is the state of quality of being resistant to disease, pathogens, cold and flu.  According to Harvard Health “The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons. The immune system is precisely that a system not a single entity.  To function well it requires balance and harmony. There is still much researchers don’t know about the intricacies and the interconnectedness of the immune response.”  Researchers are exploring the effects of lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, psychological stressors, and other factors in the immune response mechanisms. The immune system has evolved over the years to help protect people from a universe of pathogenic microbes that themselves are constantly evolving. 

The immune system helps people eliminate toxic, allergenic substances that typically enter through mucosal surfaces. Central to the immune system's ability to mobilize a response to an invading pathogen toxin or allergen is its ability to distinguish self from non-self.  The host uses both innate and adaptive mechanisms used by the immune system to detect and eliminate microbes, says PubMed Central.  Superfoods are usually associated with food products associated with beneficial health properties high in nutritional value rich in macro and micronutrients which have positive effects. The term superfood is used as an informal communication by popular influencers on social media increasing the popularity of specific food groups in 2024. Classifications of the groups of superfoods mention green leafy vegetables, whole grains seeds like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, cereals, fruits, berries, nuts, legumes, spices, herbs, legumes, teas, infusions, healthy fats and oils are all immune boosting foods.  Cruciferous vegetables are among the most nutritious foods people can eat as a good source of vitamin C which supports immune function and overall good health.

Enhance Immunity naturally with cruciferous vegetables including popular favorites like kale, broccoli cabbage are not only delicious but nutritious sources of organic plant compounds glucosinolates which have been linked to cancer fighting properties.  Cruciferous vegetables are a good source of nutrient composition high in vitamin C, folic acid, protein, vitamin A, iron, calcium, copper, selenium, zinc and fiber. Immune boosting foods including nuts, seeds, poultry, fish, dark leafy greens, herbs, spices, citrus fruits, and brightly colored vegetables are packed with nutrition.  Incorporating a wide variety of immune boosting foods in your diet is vital for good health, enhancing your body's defense against illness, cold and flu.  These foods provide the body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help fight free radical damage that help support your immune system. 

Cheers!

Patricia Lynn

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