Buried in the controversy over whether to get the H1N1 vaccination (or
even where to find one), is that one of the best ways to ward off any
flu is to build up your overall immunity. Dave Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life, reveals 10 foods that provide top doses of the vitamins and nutrients you need to protect and defend against illness.

Dark chocolate

Nutrition experts agree that dark chocolate deserves a place in healthy diets, and a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition
says it can boost your immunity, too. High doses of cocoa support
T-helper cells, which increase the immune system’s ability to defend
against infection. Sweet!

Strawberries

Even though vitamin C-rich foods (hello oranges!) are probably the
first thing you think of when you feel a cold coming, Grotto says the
illness-preventing power of the antioxidant is debatable.
That said, some studies show it can reduce the intensity and duration
of cold and flu, so it’s worth a try. One cup of strawberries provides
160 percent of your daily needs.

Fresh garlic

Strong smelling foods like garlic can stink out sickness thanks to the phytochemical allicin, an antimicrobial compound. A British study found
that people taking allicin supplements suffered 46 percent fewer colds
and recovered faster from the ones they did get. So start cooking with
it daily — experts recommend two fresh cloves a day.

Oysters

Zinc
is critical for the immune system — it rallies the troupes, or white
blood cells, to attack bacteria and viruses like a flu or cold. One
medium oyster provides nearly all of the zinc you need for a day, while
a portion of six gives you over five times the recommended amount.

Almonds

Heart-healthy almonds boast immune-boosting antioxidant vitamin E,
which can reduce your chance of catching colds and developing
respiratory infections according to researchers at Tufts University.
You’ll need more than a serving of almonds for your daily dose though,
so try fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, turnip greens, and wheat
germ, too.

Wild-caught salmon

In a recent study,
participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D were about 40 percent
more likely to report a recent respiratory infection than those with
higher levels of vitamin D. Increase your intake with salmon, a
3.5-ounce serving provides 360 IU — some experts recommend as much as
800 to 1000 IU each day.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms used to get overlooked as a health food, but they possess two
big weapons you need this flu season: selenium, which helps white blood
cells produce cytokines that clear sickness, and beta glucan, an
antimicrobial type of fiber, which helps activate “superhero” cells
that find and destroy infections.

Tea

Researchers at Harvard University found that drinking five cups of
black tea a day quadrupled the body’s immune defense system after two
weeks, probably because of theanine. Tea
also contains catechins, including ECGC, which act like a cleanup crew
against free radicals. Grotto suggests drinking one to three cups of
black, green, or white tea every day.

Yogurt

The digestive tract is one of your biggest immune organs, so keep
disease-causing germs out with probiotics and prebiotics, found in
naturally fermented foods like yogurt. One serving a day labeled with
“live and active cultures” will enhance immune function according to a
study from the University of Vienna in Austria.

Sweet potatoes

Beta-carotene
improves your body’s defenses. It’s instrumental in the growth and
development of immune system cells and helps neutralize harmful toxins.
Sweet potatoes and other orange foods like carrots, squash, pumpkin,
egg yolks, and cantaloupe are top sources.

Julie Knapp is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where a version of this post originally appeared.

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This entry was posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 4:58 pm and is filed under Conservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.