This article is authored by Dr. Shweta U. Shah for Tata Nutrikorner. Dr. Shah follows a patient-centred perspective, emphasizing the benefits of natural remedies and herbs, and whole food nutrition. Tata Nutrikorner is online platform aimed at bringing native Indian nutritional values back into the conversation. Health, nutrition, wellness – the Indian way.
The immune system does an outstanding job shielding you from disease-producing agents. If the immune system isn’t working optimally, you are susceptible to infections and illnesses. What if you could give your immune mechanism a little bit of assistance? Improve your diet, exercise routinely, and make certain lifestyle modifications – all in the hope of building a strong immune response.
To function well, the immune system needs complete balance and harmony. Even today, experts and researchers do not fully understand the interconnections and complexities of the immune response. However, research does show that specific foods as well as lifestyle changes can significantly help enhance the immune functioning.
Incorporating certain nutrient-dense foods in to your daily diet strengthens and fortifies your immune mechanism appreciably. We’ve rounded up the top immunity-boosting foods and a couple of dishes from the Indian cuisine which perk up the immune system, and provide you with a burst of potent vitamins and minerals along with powerful anti-oxidants which protect the body from free radicals.
These foods are the most nutrient-dense, anti-oxidant powerhouses! Including one or two of these in your everyday diet will help you reap huge dividends.
Turmeric
Garlic
Spinach
Ginger
Yogurt
Almonds
Oranges
Sunflower seeds
Blueberries
Broccoli
Made from the goodness of spinach and cottage cheese, this dish is simply perfect when it comes to delectable taste and invaluable nutrients! The lovely leafy palak makes for a flavourful and interesting green gravy. Spinach makes it to our list because it is extremely nutrient dense and surprisingly low on calories. An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, carotenes, folic acid, iron, manganese, magnesium and a multitude of antioxidants, palak augments vitality and restores energy. Combine all these health advantages with the wholesomeness of cottage cheese and you have a winner!
Almonds are packed with vitamin E, protein, zinc and healthy beneficial fats. Vitamin E is very crucial to the healthy working of the immune system. Almonds are a fantastic source of anti-oxidant flavonoids and amygdalin. A half-cup serving of almonds, i.e. approximately 46 almonds, provides almost 100 % of the recommended daily amount of vitamin E. Having a bowl of badam halwa is not only decadent indulgence; it is a sure-fire way of invigorating your immune mechanism!
Kadhi is wonderfully nutritious as well as sublimely delicious and rather easy to make! The chief ingredient is yogurt or dahi, blended with besan along with a variety of spices. A well-liked lunch recipe across most Indian homes, Kadhi is best served with rice or pulav. Yogurt has the potent ability to boost immune functioning tremendously. Consuming yogurt, made from Bifidobacterium lactis increases the T lymphocytes and natural killer cells in the body. Also, the calcium and Vitamin D content of this nutrient packed food helps regulate the immune system better and peps up the body’s natural defences against diseases.
A depressed immune system increases the vulnerability of the body to a host of diseases. Supporting and nurturing the immune system can help attain a resistance to many ailments. Begin your better health journey by fortifying your immune system through a healthy lifestyle consisting of regular exercise, stress management and correct eating habits.
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