Sneezing, achy, with a runny nose – that’s how I felt last week and through the weekend. After the last couple of years, boosting your immune system is a continuous practice. Try these 9 delicious foods to boost your immune system.
There are many immune-supportive foods you can use any time you feel under the weather. My friend, naturopathic doctor, and former culinary instructor at 21 Acres Dr. Rebecca Sorenson taught me how to make a delicious food-based medicine cabinet.
I love how doable her suggestions are. I can also attest to the effectiveness of the ingredients listed below and the recipes that follow. After 2 large bowls of ginger chicken soup and a good dose of onion syrup, my cold was well on its way to being history.
Dr. Rebecca Sornenson is the co-founder of Hearth Natural Medicine near Port Townsend, Washington. Learn more about her work on the Hearth Natural Medicine website.
9 foods to boost your immune system
Ginger: One of the most anti-inflammatory herbs that we have, ginger is also anti-microbial, warming, and helps settle an upset stomach.
Onions: Pungent and antimicrobial, onions kick-start the immune system to fight disease. Onions are also super high in quercetin, a flavonoid that has powerful antioxidant actions in the body.
Garlic: Another great antimicrobial, garlic can fight bacteria, fungi, worms, and viruses. Raw garlic has strong antimicrobial action. When garlic is cooked, the antimicrobial activity decreases, but it is still a powerful antioxidant.
Horseradish: Is very pungent like garlic and onions. It heats up the body to fight off germs. Horseradish has been used for centuries as a remedy for colds and flu and as a digestive aid.
Raw Honey is one of the most healing substances on the planet.
Highly antimicrobial, honey is also antifungal and antioxidant. It’s hydrating to the body – inside and out, and highly nutritious. A great addition to any food-based medicine cabinet.
Elderberry Syrup: Elderberries ignite your immune system into action. They’re antiviral allies that prevent or shorten the length of cold and flu viruses. Elderberries are known to be active against eight strains of influenza. Studies have found that elderberry disarms the enzyme viruses use to penetrate healthy cells in the lining of the nose and throat.
Cranberries: Polyphenols, the healthy antioxidant in cranberries, prime your immune system to respond faster to germ invaders according to recent studies. To be most effective, the juice must be 100% without any added sugar.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Is packed with minerals and enzymes that benefit the body. The acidity of the vinegar gives the vinegar antimicrobial properties. Vinegar can also extract constituents of herbs making it a great vehicle for herbal medicines.
Chicken Stock: Highly nutritive, broths made with bones strengthen the body whenever it is depleted. As an anti-inflammatory and soothing to the gut, chicken broth is a great food to prevent and treat illness.
Gingered Chicken Soup
Created by Dr. Rebecca Sornson, ND
1 large onion or 2 small onions
2 stalks celery
3-4 beets
3-4 carrots
1 small green cabbage
4-5 potatoes
ginger- 2 inches, grated
8 cups chicken stock (recipe above)
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
sea salt to taste
Sauté chopped onion in olive oil gently until translucent. Add chopped celery, carrots, beets, and a sprinkle of salt. Next, add rough chopped potatoes and cabbage with another sprinkle of salt. Then add grated ginger (about 2 tablespoons) and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are cooked through. Finally, add cooked chicken. Simmer for 15-20 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Healing Chicken Stock
Created by Dr. Rebecca Sornson, ND
2 Tbs oil or butter
1 chicken carcass (with the meat removed)
1 onion (skin could be included)
2 carrots (ends could be included)
2 celery stalks (ends could be included)
1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, sage, parsley)
Clean vegetables. Chop onion into a dice. Gently melt butter in a large stockpot and add diced onion. Sauté slowly with a bit of salt, then add carrots and celery and sauté. Next, add chicken carcass and approximately 8 cups of water. Toss in the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 1-12 hours. Stock can be frozen for future soup recipes.
Onion Syrup
Created by Dr. Rebecca Sornson, ND
1 onion, sliced as thin as possible
Organic cane sugar, to sprinkle
Choose a clean mason jar, the size that holds the amount of syrup that you would like to make. Sprinkle a bit of sugar on the bottom. Gently place a layer of super thin onion on top of the sugar. Add a bit more sugar–just enough to give it a light coat. Continue like this until you have filled the jar with layered onion and sugar.
Put a lid on the jar and let sit for 4-24 hours until most of the onion has turned to liquid. Strain out any remaining plant material, and put your syrup in a clean, fresh jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
If you’re really sick: Take a tablespoon every 3 hours
Take a tablespoon 1x per day as a preventative tonic.
Resources to make herbal medicines
Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health and Medicinal Herbs: a Beginner’s Guide
Mountain Rose Herbs
