It seems like it’s completely unavoidable… someone in your family catches an illness, and soon it’s a downward spiral full of snotty noses and Kleenex piles galore. We’re bound to catch a bug here and there, but did you know that there are ways to help reduce the length of time or even prevent a virus from running its course? Better yet, did you know you can do it naturally? We’ve got some great tips to help you and your family boost your immune system naturally, so check them out!
Bone Broth
Bone broth is extremely easy to make, and there are so many benefits to it! Yeah, it sounds a little gross, but your immune system will thank you for it. It is a wonderful source of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids including glycine which is a significant factor when it comes to healing from infections or inflammation. The Paleo Mom has a great article explaining the many benefits of bone broth including a detailed explanation of the importance of glycine.
“…it is no surprise that we need these two amino acids to heal, not only gaping wounds, but also the microscopic damage done to blood vessels and other tissues in our body caused by inflammation and infection. In fact, glycine is known to inhibit the immune system and reduce activation of inflammatory cells in your body. Whether you are trying to heal from an infection, address an auto-immune disease, or reduce inflammation caused by neolithic foods or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, high levels of dietary glycine are critical.”
Bone broth is something that our ancestors have been making for centuries to help with immune health (Sick? I’ll make you some chicken noodle soup!). It’s simple to make and so worth it! If you’d like to try making it yourself, a great recipe can be found here.
Herbal Tea Blends
There are so many different types of herbal teas, and each blend has a different health benefits. Whether you need to calm down before bed, increase your energy, or boost your immune system naturally, there is an herb that will do the trick.
Purchasing the pre-mixed tea blends can get a little expensive, but we’ve got some great recipes you can make at home by adding your own herbs and spices to black tea to boost your immune system and energy. Our link has some great information on the benefits of the herbs and spices included in each blend as well!
Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry syrup is rich with A and C vitamins, as well as other immune-boosting components. Taking a daily dose of elderberry syrup can help to boost your immune system naturally, or if you choose to take it while your body is fighting a cold or flu, it will help you fight against it so you can recover faster.
Elderberry syrup is another immune-boosting food that you can purchase at the health food store, but making it yourself is more inexpensive as usual. Need a recipe? This one is good!
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that is unbelievably healthy for you. It is dense with active bacteria cultures and yeast that help to get rid of the bad bacteria living in the gut. You can purchase kombucha tea at the health food store, but it is much more inexpensive (and fun in my opinion) to make it yourself. Want to learn how to make it? You can read all about my experience making kombucha tea here.
Kombucha is said to improve digestion, increase immunity, aid in cancer prevention, heal joint pain, detoxify the liver, and many other things! Plus, it tastes good!
Mushrooms
Surprisingly, researchers have found that mushrooms have a huge effect on the immune system. They increase your immune systems response to viruses and bacteria. This article states,
“…The June 2007 issue of the “Journal of Nutrition” reports that eating button mushrooms can boost the immune system by increasing the activity of natural killer cells. Although they do not fully understand how, scientists believe that it is the polysaccharide content of the mushrooms that is responsible for their immune-boosting ability.”
You can increase your mushroom intake by adding them to your meals in stir-fries, casseroles, or by just eating them raw. If you are someone who doesn’t care for the taste of mushrooms, you can also take dried mushrooms in capsules as a supplement.
Oil of Oregano
You don’t often hear of oil of oregano being a natural immune booster, but it really is! Taking oil of oregano in capsule form, or adding a few drops to your drink every day will benefit your body in so many ways.
Oil of oregano contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals, and it’s also a natural antihistamine. One of the reasons it’s such a great immune booster is because of two ingredients: carvacrol and thymol. Both of these ingredients have strong antimicrobial factors and help fight agains a host of bacterias, molds, and yeast. Oil of oregano also has many other health benefits including, liver detoxification, possible cancer prevention, and studies have shown it can even help to treat MRSA. If you’d like to read more about this awesome herb, this is a great article.
Hopefully you found some helpful ways to boost your immune system naturally. Cold and flu season is no joke and these simple things can help your family stay strong and healthy this winter! Do you use anything else to boost your immune system naturally? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!
