Bump It Up! Simple Foods to Boost Your Immune System

Even though this weather might have you thinking it's not really winter, don't let Mother Nature fool you into thinking that we've escaped cold and flu season unscathed. I've been hearing about stomach flu, walking pneumonia, and various other bugs that can keep you from your regular activities.

Instead of looking to your doctor, pharmacist, or grocery store medicine aisle, take some precautions now to boost your immune system so that it can protect you from what gets passed around when we are in close quarters this time of year.

There is a bevy of beautiful fruits and vegetables you should make sure to include in your diet...and not just once, because that won't do the trick. Make a commitment to keeping some of these things in your regular meals over the next couple of months and you should be seeing less of the doctor and more of what - and who -- you enjoy (no offense to our trusted family doctors, of course!).

Here are a few of the more unlikely suspects you can easily find:

Mushrooms are an unlikely immune booster but they contain some of the most powerful natural medicines on the planet. With anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties, these babies can protect you in all sorts of ways. It's important to use a blend of different mushrooms to get the best effect, and with so many to choose from, fresh or dried, you shouldn't have a problem finding a good variety. I often gently boil blend of mushrooms, several cloves of garlic and add a couple of dashes of organic soy sauce (tamari or shoyu), then strain or blend. Do you ever buy mushrooms and discard the stems? This is a great way to use them.

Garlic is another great weapon to have in your immunity arsenal as it's known for it's ability to fight the common cold, amongst other things. Garlic stimulates the multiplication of infection-fighting white cells, and increases the efficiency of antibody production. Garlic also acts as an anti-oxidant as it reduces the build-up of free radicals in the bloodstream. Garlic may also protect against cancers as they play a part in getting rid of potential carcinogens and other toxic substances.  Garlic is also a heart-friendly food as it keeps the blood platelets from sticking together and clogging tiny blood vessels. Kind of makes you want to grab a few cloves to bite into right now, doesn't it? And experts say that eating about two cloves a day is enough to give your immune system it needs to stay strong this time of year.    
 
Fresh ginger helps to boost the immune system and prevents colds and flus from taking hold. Fresh ginger is generally sold loose in the produce section. A great, simple way to get this into your system (aside from tossing into your blender when juicing) is to cut an inch or two from the root, smash it with a pot of using the flat side of a large kitchen knife. Get out a small pot, fill it with water  and set it on the stove to boil. Add to it the smashed ginger, some honey and lemon juice. Let it simmer for a while -- sometimes I let mine go a half hour or so, depending on whether I get distracted. Taste then adjust lemon or honey. Drink and enjoy a delicious hot beverage sure to ward off the season's worst!

These are only a few of the non-so-secret weapons that nature has generously given to us to keep us healthy and happy. Easy to find, easy to use and much more delicious than cold medicine!

Linda Soper-Kolton is owner/chef of GreenGourmetToGo in the Black Rock Section of Bridgeport, where she offers healthy cooking classes, culinary coaching, prepared foods and catering. Find her at www.greengourmettogo.com