Foods to Increase Immunity

A weakened immune system leaves the body vulnerable to virtually every type of illness and disease, especially when there is a seasonal shift from cold winters to warm summers. Properly feeding your immune system can boost its power to fight off those pesky viral diseases that bring you down.

Under normal conditions, the human immune system is called on to combat an invader only when it's needed. But with our fast and ever-changing modern lifestyle, people seldom take care of themselves, and the result is an overburdened immune system incapable of defending you from illness.

Your diet is the key to your health. A poor diet of sugary, rich, hard-to-digest foods will detract from your immunity while a healthy diet full of fresh, antioxidant-rich foods will enhance your health and immune system. According to Ayurveda, any food that transforms quickly into Ojas is good for immunity. If food creates Ama, it's bad for immunity. Ojas is the end product of complete digestion that creates radiant good health, stable emotions, and immunity. Ama is the digestive impurities caused by eating hard-to-digest foods or by unhealthy eating habits.

Here are the top immune boosting foods to incorporate into your diet to help you stay healthy:

• Green Tea
  It contains the antioxidant EGCG which reduces the risk of most types of cancer. It also inhibits the growth of bad bacteria in the intestine. Experts agree that 4 cups of green tea a day will keep our immune system functioning at its peak.
• Chillies
  Chilies stimulate the metabolism. They also act as a natural blood thinner and help release endorphins. Chilies are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections. They are also believed to have anti-prostrate cancer properties. They also help if you have a blocked nose.
• Ginger (adrak)
  It contains living compound Gingerol, a suppressor that is particularly effective against colon cancer. It is also good for common cold or flu.
• Garlic (lehsun)
  Garlic is known for its cold-fighting abilities. It increases the potency of two important cells of the immune system: T-lymphocytes and macrophages.
• Turmeric (haldi)
  It has been used for centuries as part of Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines, in addition to being used for cooking. It has strong cold and flu-fighting properties.
• Cinnamon (dalchini)
  This is a staple spice in any Indian kitchen. Cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth. It also helps stabilize blood sugar thus reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon also helps fight bad cholesterol. It also helps control bad breath.
• Sweet Potatoes (shakarkand)
  Sweet potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism and immune-system, as well as protect against Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack and diabetes.
• Pumpkins (kaddu)
  Pumpkins is loaded with beta-carotene, a nutrient that the body breaks down to make vitamin A which is essential for immunity.
• Oysters
  Oysters are widely thought to be one of the nature's most potent aphrodisiacs. This fact probably has to do with their high zinc content. Zinc functions in more enzymatic reactions than any other mineral, making it indispensable to the immune system.
• Tomatoes
  The ubiquitous tomatoes are great in fighting herpes and help in protecting against degenerative diseases.
• Figs
  This fruit is packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants. Figs also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade. The fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
• Mushrooms
  They reduce the risk of cancer. Mushrooms help ramp up your immune response by boosting the production of white blood cells. This helps the cells by increasing cellular metabolism, removing toxins, and preventing damage from free radicals.
• Pomegranates (anaar)
  It is a cancer fighting fruit. Drinking the juice of a pomegranate each day will keep the cancer at bay.

Some foods or unhealthy lifestyle behaviors can make a person more susceptible to colds and flus. Avoid high-fat, high-sugar junk foods as they can decrease the activity of the immune system.  It's also best to avoid too much caffeine as it can undermine your body's immune system and act as a diuretic, which will deplete your body of water. Also, don't smoke! Smoking can impair your resistance as well as injure the respiratory tract, which makes you more susceptible to the flu.