Twelve Foods to Boost Immune Response

With the near epidemic Norovirus going around, we thought it would be good to send out some nutritional tips to keep your immune system healthy. If you own a SCENAR dose your thymus gland (located at the suprasternal notch between the collar bones) at least once a day. You can also stroke your upper belly (above the navel) and look for stickiness. If you find any sticky spots, dose them. In any case, wash your hands a lot! Alcohol does not kill the Norovirus, only chlorox does, so hand sanitizers don’t work.

There are 12 foods that are recommended for boosting the immune system:

1. Unpasteurized Grass-Fed Organic Milk - raw, organic milk from grass-fed cows contains beneficial bacteria that prime your immune system and can reduce allergies. It is an outstanding source of vitamins, especialy vitamin A, zinc, and enzymes. It also ocntains beneficial fats that will help your immune system. To find a raw mile supplier closest to you, go to RealMilk.com. If you live in Asheville, you can contact a collective that gets grass-fed raw milk from South Carolina at Ashevillerawmilk@yahoo.com.

Whey Protein – you can use a high-quality whey protein that comes from grass-fed cows to receive much of the same health benefits as you get through raw milk. Whey protein can help you fight off colds and flu because it contains beta-glucans and immunoglobulins, which protect your immune system and support your body’s natural detoxification process.

2. Fermented Foods – If you are serious about boosting your immunity, then adding traditionally fermented foods is essential. One of the most healthful fermented foods is kefir. Kefir is an ancient cultured enzyme rich food full of friendly microorganisms that balance your “inner ecosystem” and strengthen immunity. Ask around to connect with someone who can share their culture with you. It isn’t hard to make, and soon you will be looking for folks to give your extra culture to. Another excellent fermented food is Kombucha. A local company, Asheville Kombucha Mamas, sells it under the name “Buchi”. You can get it at Earth Fare or Greenlife grocery stores or you can call them at 828-450-1537. Friendly bacteria have a powerful, beneficial effect on your gut’s immune system, your first line of defense against pathogens, and aid in the production of antibodies.

3. Raw Organic Eggs from Free-Range Chickens – Raw eggs are an inexpensive and amazing source of high quality nutrients including high quality protein and fat. Make sure you know the farmer (local eggs are best) and can visit the farm and see for yourself that the chickens are not caged. Then you don’t need to worry about salmonella. To find free-range  pasture farms, go to http://eatwild.com or http://www.localharvest.org.

4. Grass-Fed Beef or Organ Meats – Grass-fed beef is very high in Vitamins A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, and zinc. Don’t confuse “organic” with grass-fed, since many organically raised cows are still fed organic corn. However, most grass-fed cows are raised organically. It is ideal if you can find organic and grass-fed.

5. Coconuts and Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is excellent for your thyroid and your metabolism, and is rich in lauric acid, which the body converts to a compound called monolauin which is found in breast milk and strengthens the baby’s immunity. Research has shown that lauric acid disrupts the lipid membranes of pathogens. When choosing coconut oils, make sure you get organic ones that are unrefined, unbleached, non-GMO, and made without heat processing or chemicals.

6. Locally Grown Organic Vegetables – The best source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes for fighting off pathogens are a wide variety of fresh, organic, and preferably raw vegetables. Fresh is best, as the nutrient value drops to zero once the fruit or vegetable is canned. Know your ORAC values. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. An ORAC “score” is a standardized method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. The higher the score, the more effective a food is at neutralizing free radicals. The less free radicals, the healthier you’ll be. You can check the ORAC score for many different things at http://www.oracvalues.com. Bear in mind, that the ORAC score describes the capacity of the food for neutralizing free radicals. How your body absorbs and utilizes the food will also impact its health benefit.

7. Blueberries and Raspberries – These fruits are very high in antioxidant capacity (ORAC of 6,520). Wild blueberries, commonly called huckleberries, are particularly potent immune boosters. They contain powerful phytochemicals and are lower in sugar than other fruits.

8. Mushrooms – Mushrooms are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, and even vitamin D (one of the only foods that can provide you with this essential immune strengthener.) They also contain powerful compounds called beta glucans, which have long been known for their immune enhancing properties.

9. Chlorella – This is a single cell fresh water algae that acts an a efficient detoxification agent by binding to toxins, such as mercury, and carries them out of the body. It is the chlorophyll in it that helps you process more oxygen and promotes the growth and repair of tissue.

10.  Propolis – Produced by honeybees, this is one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world. It is the richest source of the most important compounds that aid in the immune response.

11. Teas – The two best types of teas for fending off microinvaders are Matcha green tea and tulsi tea. Matcha is the most nutrient rich green tea. The best comes from Japan and has up to seventeen times the antioxidants of wild blueberries and seven times more than dark chocolate. Tulsi tea comes from the holy basil herb and has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurvedic medicine of India. You can grow it in your garden here and fresh organic seeds can be purchased from Sow True Seeds, a local company in Asheville. Tulsi is loaded with antioxidants and has multiple health benefits including supporting your immune health, memory, heart health, and vision.

12. Herbs and Spices – Here are the best for immune boosting:

Garlic – antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal. Eat it every day, the fresher the better.

Honeysuckle and chrysanthemum – good antivirals

Licorice – buffers the inflammatory response

Tumeric – ORAC score of 159,277. General immune system booster due to its high antioxidant capacity. It is 5-8 times stronger than vitamins C and E and even strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical which is considered to be the most reactive of all oxidants.

Black Pepper – increases the bioavailability of just about all other foods.

Cinnamon – ORAC 267,536. It is a powerful antimicrobial agent which kills E. coli and many other bacteria. Great when mixed with plain yogurt.

Cloves – The highest ORAC score at 314,446 of all foods tested.

By including these foods in your diet, you’ll not only evade the circulating viruses but improve your overall health and longevity at the same time.

6 Comments

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  By Carol Koury, March 17, 2010 @ 3:15 pm

  Tulsi (Holy or Sacred) basil is delicious and relatively easy to grow! Tea is only one of its luscious and beneficial uses. I start my plants indoors a few weeks before the last frost and transplant them when the soil is nice and warm. It grows relatively quickly and you can start picking the leaves when the plant starts looking well established. Good stuff!

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  By cna training, April 1, 2010 @ 1:01 am

  Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!

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  By Purse Party, April 8, 2010 @ 4:56 am

  I have to say, every time I come to healinginnovationsnc.com you have another interesting post up. One of my friends was telling me about this topic a few weeks ago. I think I’ll send them the url here and see what they say.

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  By administrative assistant, December 11, 2010 @ 5:38 am

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  By Penny, December 11, 2010 @ 2:07 pm

  On FB search for Healing Innovations. On Twitter look for Avillscenar.

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  By Zed, December 17, 2010 @ 4:34 pm

  Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!

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