Even while business doors are slowly opening and restaurants now have dine-in service, it is even more imperative to strengthen your immune health. Why? If you are a business owner or employee who now has returned to work, you are being exposed to dozens more people in one day than you did when you stayed at home. Having more people in stores means an increased risk of spreading sickness (whether COVID-19 or not) and consequently weakening your immune system. As things reopen and people resume normal business and errands, your immune system is going to be bombarded by exposures that it didn’t have before. Therefore, it is important to keep your immune system strong. Let’s now check out some valuable supplements and foods that support immunity.
Vitamins:
Vitamins C, D, and A:
Everyone knows vitamin C to fight against infections, both bacterial and viral. It can also shorten the duration of colds if you take it regularly before getting sick. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, bell peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. It is also taken as a supplement.
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, also supports the immune system and reduces the risk of getting colds and the flu. A huge percentage of Americans are deficient in vitamin D since it is in a limited number of food, is not converted well in our bodies into the active form, and we enjoy less time in the sun per day than our grandparents did. For most people, supplementing with vitamin D3 each day is the best way to get its many benefits. Other ways to get vitamin D is to eat regular amounts of salmon, sardines, tuna, egg yolks, mushrooms, or some fortified foods like orange juice.
Vitamin A is very useful in fighting respiratory infections, however many people are low in this vitamin. In its active form, vitamin A is found in liver, eggs, shrimp, salmon, sardines, tuna, cheese, yogurt, whole milk, and some fortified foods.
Minerals:
Zinc and Selenium:
Zinc has long been used to boost immunity. As a cold remedy, it’s usually available as a throat lozenge and can ease the severity of a cold when taken at the first symptoms. Zinc is found in beef, lamb, sesame and pumpkin seeds, lentils, beans, cashews, and quinoa.
Selenium is an antioxidant that strengthens our ability to fight off bacteria, viruses, and even cancer cells. The best source of selenium actually comes from Brazil nuts. Eating two nuts per day will meet your selenium requirements. Other sources of selenium are fish, shellfish, beef, poultry, mushrooms, asparagus, tofu, eggs, and barley.
Foods:
Honey and Garlic:
Raw honey is wonderful for relieving minor pain and inflammation in our nose and throat. It also acts as an antimicrobial and can be added to hot tea to treat coughs and sore throats.
Garlic is well known as an antimicrobial food. This property also works well in supplement form or for aged garlic. Garlic can reduce the severity of upper respiratory infections caused by viruses. It can also prevent colds.
So before heading out for a nice dinner or a stroll through a retail store, remember to focus on these vitamins, minerals, and foods that will strengthen your immune system and prep you for being around people. Your body will thank you!