With the rainy season in full swing, it is crucial to have good Immunity. Along with pleasant weather, monsoons may also cause a few diseases along with it. Instead of relying on supplements, you can boost your Immunity through naturally available food.
A strong immunity can help in defending against infections and diseases. The immune system keeps your body healthy. The immune system is a vast network of different cells and organs that constantly work to protect our body from germs and infections.
In monsoon, we are highly vulnerable to several diseases and infections. Therefore, our immune system needs to work efficiently.
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Vitamin A: It helps your body’s defence mechanism to fight infections effectively. Vitamin A is available in two forms, preformed source from animal foods such as fish, meat, and dairy, and carotenoids from plant foods. When it comes to carotenoids, go colourful, you may add below foods to your diet:
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Carrots
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Pumpkin
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Sweet Potatoes
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Dark green leafy vegetables
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Vitamin C: It may help prevent infections or control their spread in the body. Vitamin C is essentially important for the growth, development, and repair of tissues. Citrus fruits like lemon and orange are rich in vitamin C, but did you know there are other good sources of this vitamin? Here is a list of non-citrus sources of vitamin C:
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Spinach
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Brussels Sprouts
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Bell pepper
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Papaya
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Strawberries
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Vitamin D: Often referred to as the sunshine vitamin, it helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body, thereby strengthening the bones. It is one of the most vital and powerful nutrients for supporting your immune system. Foods that are a great source of vitamin D include:
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Mackerel
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Tuna
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Salmon and Sardine
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Vitamin D-fortified milk, orange juice, and cereals
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Iron: It helps your body carry oxygen to cells and plays an important role in many of the immune system processes. Iron helps in the generation of red blood cells, thereby strengthening the immune system with an army to defend against infections. Iron comes in different forms.
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Spinach
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Tofu
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Lentils
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Red Meat and Eggs
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Pumpkin Seeds
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Protein: It is one of the most crucial macronutrients for the immune system. Proteins are made of amino acids that help create immune system cells and antibodies. People with good protein levels are at reduced risk of falling sick. Some great sources of protein may include:
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Egg
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Lentils and Beans
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Cottage cheeses
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Milk and Tofu
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Fish
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Zinc: It is needed to produce new immune system cells. It is found primarily in animal foods like lean meat, poultry, crab meat, and oysters. But it can also be found in some vegetarian food.
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Baked Bean
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Yogurt
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Chickpeas
Additionally, two more nutrients that have a powerful effect on your Immunity are selenium and folic acid. You must ensure that your diet has good sources of these nutrients as they help build and strengthen your Immunity and minimize your chances of developing any disease.
In case you intend to take supplements of these nutrients, ensure you consult a doctor. Taking vitamins or any other nutrient supplements without an expert’s view can be dangerous.
