Health Center

Diet for Immune System Health

Believe it or not, chicken soup is a great solution for boosting immunity. This folk remedy has more than word-of-mouth to support it; scientific research has also given chicken soup an enthusiastic thumbs up.

In an often-cited clinical study published in the journal Chest in 1978, chicken soup performed significantly better than hot water in increasing the flow of mucus.

To increase the therapeutic power of chicken soup, add some cayenne. Despite its fiery taste, cayenne is a cooling herb with a long history of use. Cayenne contains a compound called capsaicin, which can lower body temperature by stimulating the cooling center of the hypothalamus in the brain. For an even more potent effect, simply take a bite of hot pepper. This will quickly clear your airways and, as an added bonus, will provide a healthy dose of vitamin C.

Garlic also has a well-deserved reputation as an immune enhancer. Garlic provides the phytochemical allicin, its most active compound, to strengthen your body's immune response, and assist your liver function. Raw garlic is the best source of allicin. If you can't handle the taste raw, try microwaving or baking garlic until it is tender. This will take away some of the burn and sweeten the taste.

Finally, it's important to drink eight ounces of clean, filtered water every hour. The immune system works better when you are well hydrated. Do not drink concentrated fruit juices, or any fluids that contain sugar. Sugar has been shown to decrease the activity of the immune system for up to five hours.

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