We can all use a boost sometimes. In the winter when it is cold and we spend a lot of time indoors. But also in the summer when we spend a lot of time outside and want to enjoy a carefree holiday.
A strong and healthy immune system helps you with that.
And you, in turn, can help the immune system. For example with healthy smoothies and drinks.
What is 'the immune system'
The immune system is not hidden in a separate room in your body. Your entire body contains elements of a complex system. It is hard at work from birth to protect you from head to toe against harmful substances from the outside. Substances such as fungi, parasites and viruses.
Innate defense
One of the parts that protects you from head to toe is the skin. The skin literally forms a shield against everything you want to keep outside your body. The intestines, saliva, mucous membranes and respiratory tract are also protective barriers.
Everything that inevitably enters the body, such as air and food, is guided through the body in a controlled and safe manner. Or are immediately switched off in the body before they can harm you and penetrate further.
Still, we can't keep everything out. That is why your body also has an internal defense system that makes everything that does enter harmless. Your own army of white blood cells marches through the body to clean up harmful, but also dead cells.
Non-innate immune system
Although you are given a good set of defense tools at birth, you are not fully protected. During your life you encounter diseases and bacteria that the body cannot simply defeat. Specialized immune cells are needed for this.
These specially trained cells, called lymphocytes, are trained to defeat one specific pathogen. When you encounter this disease again later, they will recognize it and quickly eliminate it. In other words: you are then immune.
Can you influence the immune system?
Can you influence or improve such a complex system? Of course! First of all, we have been doing this for years with vaccinations. But that is not in your control either. What you can do yourself is to improve or optimize your lifestyle.
Don't smoke, drink little alcohol, exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep and don't stress too much. A list that we all know, but which you may not have known affects your immune system. These are things that we (largely) have control over.
There are also all kinds of products on the market that claim to 'boost' the immune system. These are often products, such as drinks, with a lot of vitamins and antioxidants. Or with a strong concentration of a certain substance. The good news: you can also make these drinks yourself!
5 immune-boosting drinks
It is not necessary to drink dirty shakes where you have to pinch your nose. Make a drink you like. Experiment and alternate. But above all: enjoy!
Fruity smoothies
Smoothies or juices with a lot of fruit are generally the most popular. Especially in the summer when you can make very refreshing drinks with (frozen) fruit. Subconsciously, these are very good boosts for the immune system
They are packed with vitamins. Citrus fruits, berries, kiwi and strawberry are full of vitamin C. Use red fruits such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to add a good amount of antioxidants.
Melon is a source of folic acid. You need that for the production of white blood cells. You know, that army in your body. The watermelon also contains lycopene. Lycopene is a very powerful antioxidant. Grapefruit, guava and papaya also contain lycopene.
Green juices
Some people immediately turn their nose up at the sight of green juices. Green smoothies you have to like or make delicious! A green juice does not have to consist purely of vegetables. You can also mix it with fruit or other ingredients such as ginger and matcha , so that the vegetables can barely be tasted.
Vegetable juices are fantastic for your immune system. Vegetables, of course, contain many vitamins. But also many minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and copper. With vegetables in your juice or smoothie you boost the nutritional value considerably.
Especially for people who find it difficult to eat a lot of vegetables, a vegetable juice can be a solution. It can be a way to get some vegetables in the morning or afternoon. So that your plate doesn't have to be full of broccoli in the evening.
Fresh tea
Tea is drunk in all kinds of cultures and seen as a health-promoting drink. We are not talking about the bags of English Breakfast or sweet forest fruit tea. But about freshly brewed tea from pure products from nature.
In Chinese medicine they use ginger and liquorice to strengthen the immune system. Ginger is full of antioxidants and liquorice lowers stress. Add lemon to this and you also have extra vitamins.
You can also make a herbal tea with herbs from your own garden. Herbs such as mint, lemon verbena, chamomile, sage and lemon balm. A plant that you may not want in your garden is nettle. But nettle is known for its boosting quality.
A good quality green tea can also help you. Matcha tea contains a lot of calcium, potassium, vitamins A and C, iron and proteins. And it has a calming effect. It is important to pay attention to the quality of the tea, because with a low quality, the amount of healthy substances will be low.
Spicy boost
You can pimp the above drinks even further with spices. So add this to your drink when you can. The easiest spice is cinnamon. It fits in many fruit smoothies, but also in tea, for example.
Other spices include cloves, coriander, cardamom, pepper, turmeric and pepper. These are less easy to apply and you have to like them. However, with a little searching you can find some very tasty recipes.
An example is 'Golden Milk'. In India, this drink is often drunk. It contains turmeric, which contains curcumin. Curcumin has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. In our webshop you will find a variant of this Golden Milk, the Golden Matcha . One that is even better and tastier.
Refreshing water
Finally, you can also simply help your immune system through water. Add the fresh juice of citrus fruits to your water and you have a tasty, refreshing and healthy drink. It is also a way to drink more water more easily.
Nowadays you can also drink other types of 'water'. Such as the now popular coconut water. Coconut water helps you absorb potassium better and replenish electrolytes. For that reason it is a popular drink among athletes. You can also use this water in your fruit and vegetable juices.
