Immune boosting foods
What we eat can have a huge impact on our immune function.
No single food will stop you from getting sick.
But what you eat regularly can influence how well your immune system functions, how often you get sick, and how quickly you recover.
We can help or hinder our immune defences with the foods and drinks we consume, so being aware of what foods you can include in your diet to help boost your immune function is a great way of using food as medicine.
These immune boosting foods can also help you on your way to recovery if you are struck down with a cold or flu and similarly, excluding the immune depressing foods can help your body to heal faster.
Immune boosting foods:
Fruits - Think seasonally when you think about your fruit and veggie intake. What's in season is likely to be fresher and still full of nutrients. Plus, nature has this amazing intelligence and ability to provide us with what we need at the right time.
For people who are prone to coughs and chest infections in winter, I always recommend they eat a pear every day. I picked this tip up from acupuncturist Kim Gatenby. In traditional Chinese medicine pears are thought to nourish the lungs and I have always found that the pear a day trick works!
The other fruits to focus on for an immune boost are berries, citrus, stone fruits, pineapple, papaya and kiwi fruit.Vegetables - It's always good to eat a rainbow of fruit and veggies to ensure we're getting a wide variety of nutrients. When it comes to the best immune boosting vegetables in this rainbow, I'd go for broccoli, red capsicum, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, onions, beetroot and cauliflower.
Herbs and Spices - Garlic, Garlic, Garlic. I'm sure we all know that garlic is antimicrobial and great for boosting our immune defences. Other goodies you should be including in your food are ginger, chilli, parsley, turmeric, oregano and coriander.
Chicken Soup - We've all heard about chicken soup for the soul, but did you know that in recent years it has been scientifically proven that chicken soup is good for the immune system? If you're in the throws of a cold, cooking up a batch of fresh chicken soup might be the last thing you feel like doing. So I'd recommend either making up a batch of chicken bone broth to freeze so you can add the veggies and other bits as needed, or just make and freeze the chicken soup now for easy dinners and cold & flu emergencies!
Protein - include grass fed meat, oily fish, brazil nuts, pepitas, eggs, sunflower seeds, beans and legumes.
Foods to avoid if you get a cold or flu:
Uhh ohh, despite your best effort you've managed to catch a dreaded lurgy :( It's not necessarily a bad thing if you catch the odd cold from time to time. It means your immune system is working! But we want to help your body to recover as quickly as possible. The normal cold will last for 6 days. Whenever I catch a cold, I can always cut mine down to 3 days by taking immune boosting herbs and nutrients, resting, eating a wide variety of the above mentioned foods and avoiding the foods on the list below.
Dairy - will absolutely, without a doubt make you more congested. Cut it out for a few days while you're coughing and spluttering to help your body heal.
Sugar - The arch enemy of the immune system. Avoid at all costs! Of course you can still have some fruit as mentioned above but don't consume bottled fruit juice, soft drinks, lollies or biscuits.
Processed and packaged foods - You won't find many nutrients here. Try to keep to real food, as fresh and possible and full of vitality!
I hope these dietary tips help to keep your immune system strong this winter. If you do catch a cold, soldiering on is the best way to make it hang around for ages. Please take a day or two off and allow your body to heal.
If you’re getting sick often or not bouncing back
Food is a great foundation, but sometimes it’s not enough on its own.
An acute naturopathy consultation can help if you’re looking for targeted support around immune health.
A full consultation allows us to look more broadly at energy, sleep, stress, digestion and overall resilience.
Both are available via telehealth Australia-wide, or in clinic in Dural.
You can book online to get started.
Wish someone would just tell you what to eat?
OK then!
This plan has been intentionally designed to include a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support your immune system.
Key nutrients include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and selenium.
Plan includes:
Week overview - all of your meals planned out over 7 days
27 whole food recipes
Shopping/checklist so you can ensure you have all of your ingredients
This plan is designed to feed two people. All quantities in the recipes are calculated to produce exactly what you will need for your meal plan.
Recipe examples:
Peanut Butter & Jam Overnight Oats
Pumpkin Hummus
Sesame Trout, Bok Choy & Quinoa
Deconstructed Stuffed Capsicum
Garlicky Beef & Greens
Spiced Lentils & Broccolini with Lemon
One Pot Mexican Black Beans & Rice
Something for everyone!
How to get it
Simply add to cart and purchase through this online store. Your PDF meal plan will be sent to your inbox instantly. Please download and save your meal plan and recipes straight away. The download link will expire after 24 hours.
