11 Nutrients That Boost Immunity

Our immune systems have been taking a beating for a long time. These unsung heroes deal with poor diets, toxic skincare ingredients, and other people’s germs. Now, our immune system is tasked with its biggest feat yet.

It must fight off the onslaught of COVID-19. While the human race attempts to build up a herd immunity, you must do everything in your power to build up a resistance against viral attacks. Here are some of the most essential vitamins are minerals your body needs to keep your immune system supercharged.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are the most effective immune system protectors. They are responsible for removing free radicals from the body that cause cellular damage. You can also thank antioxidants for bringing life back to cells. They help generate the power necessary for weak cells to become stronger! Some of the best antioxidants for immune support include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and selenium. 

Eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables of various colors. Each color denotes a different antioxidant, which comes with its own unique benefits.

Alliums

These are fragrant flowering plants that bring many of our favorite dishes to life. Garlic bulbs, onions, and ginseng are all members of the allium family. They’re also potent supporters of the immune system. That’s because alliums are rich in the mineral, quercetin. Quercetin is a strong antioxidant that promotes a cellular process known as autophagy. This internal recycling system is when new cells consume dying cells to generate more power. It’s also great for managing weight.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a staple in Indian cuisine. It’s a rhizome that is ground into a fine powder. This powder is not only a beautifully vibrant yellow, but it’s also home to a litany of curcuminoids. These compounds (curcumin, in particular) have mighty anti-inflammatory capabilities. By controlling inflammation, your immune system experiences less of a high alert. That way, it’s well-rested and ready to go when a real threat looms. 

Take your turmeric with black pepper. Black pepper is rich in Bioperine. This molecule makes turmeric a whopping 2,000% more bioavailable!

Fruit Extracts

The leading cause of death in the world is cardiovascular disease. Approximately 38% of people diagnosed with COVID-19 have a heart condition. Therefore, practicing heart health is the ultimate form of immune support. You can boost that immune system even more with fruit extracts, such as grape seed and pomegranate. Both of these high-concentrated fruit oils have shown to reduce oxidative damage that may result in atherosclerosis.

Complex Carbs

Carbs might be a scary word for the health-conscious. However, that shouldn’t be the case. Our body needs carbs for energy. Most importantly, our probiotics do. Research shows that fibers in starches and glucose, such as arabinogalactan and beta-glucans powder, serve as fiber for stomach bacteria. Seeing as over 80% of our immune cells come from the gut, you should keep those little buggers happy! 

Stock up on probiotic foods to help bring balance to your gut. Consume yogurt, kimchi, kraut, and kombucha to introduce some healthy bacteria to the system. They create metabolites that help repair your gut barrier, which lessens the heavy lifting load of your immune cells.

Olive Leaf Extract

A lifetime of sugary foods and cholesterol-laden processed meats can cause a lot of buildup of plaques in our arteries. This traffic jam makes it more difficult for immune system cells to make their rounds. In turn, infections and inflammation spark up around the isolated areas. Research shows that olive leaf extract acts as a vasodilator that may prevent these issues. This Mediterranean fruit oil is rich in oleuropein, a molecule that relaxes blood cells so they can squeeze through the restricted pathways.

Use olive leaf extract in conjunction with pine bark extract. This supplement derived from French maritime pine trees has a significant effect on nitric oxide production. Our body relies on this gas to help push healthy cells through the arteries while sweeping out all the debris that prevents our immune cells from doing their jobs.

Graviola Leaf Powder (Soursop)

Soursop is big throughout the holistic immune-boosting community, especially among those who followed Dr. Sebi. This tropical fruit is highly regarded for its antimicrobial and antiparasitic properties. Therefore, Graviola leaf powder is a powerful tool in keeping opportunistic microbes, such as viruses, at bay.

Lycopene

Lycopene is an influential antioxidant that modulates many cellular functions essential to wellness. It can promote the generation of growth-related enzymes and fights off the onset of smoke-related inflammation. This versatile mineral can prevent cells from dying while helping replenish the ones that did.

Lycopene is what gives foods their red hue. Be sure to eat plenty of tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, grapefruit, and red cabbage. Ferment the red cabbage to make probiotic-rich kraut and kimchi!

Cat’s Claw Bark Powder

Holistic medicine uses cat’s claw as an antiviral agent. It’s an Amazonian vine that’s thought to stimulate the immune system. Research shows that compounds in cat’s claw may prohibit the spread of TNF-alpha and IFN-alpha cells. These are precursors for inflammation, and elevated levels of these biomarkers can deplete your immune system over time.

Raspberry Fruit Powder

Raspberries are more than just a delicious treat from nature. They also have powerful healing abilities. For instance, raspberries are rich in compounds known as catechins. These powerful antioxidants are known to stop the production of histamines, which is what causes us to experience allergic reactions that suppress our immune system.

Mix raspberry fruit powder with iced green tea. Green tea also contains a strong catechin known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This potent compound has shown to not just inhibit histamine production, but also stop other biological functions related to histamine.

Mushroom Complex

What better way to fight off viruses than with a molecular war? Mushrooms are fungi. Just like bacteria, yeast, and viruses, fungi are also a part of our gut biome. That’s why mushrooms, such as Chaga, have a monumental influence on our immune system. Mushrooms have amazing anti-inflammatory benefits. Plus, some fungi have shown promise by stimulating white blood cells. These are the powerhouses that do all the dirty work for our immune system.

Get All You Need In One

There are so many immune-boosting resources in nature. You’d never be able to consume them all in one sitting. Thankfully, you can get a wide spectrum of immune support by using a supplement that has these vitamins, minerals, and more. Resist viral attacks with the Nutretics Gut & Immune Box.