Boosting our immunity with natural and powerful ingredients can definitely help keep the winter flu away.  Eating a well balanced diet with plants and fresh foods we can support our immune system but at times we need a little more to help our body defend itself against viruses and bugs like colds and flu.

Here are six ways to help boost your immunity naturally, add them to your weekly wellness practise and see if it makes a difference for you.

1. Ginger (and lemon)

Ginger contains gingerols, compounds that contain potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help support immune function and keep the germs away.  Ginger, honey and fresh lemon is a great combination if you are feeling ill, as it warms the body and encourages lymph drainage while soothing the stomach and helping to encourage digestion.  Ginger also helps reduce aches and pains related to inflammation in the joints and tissues.  Fresh lemon is synonymous with wellness and immunity and high in vitamin C.

You can slice fresh ginger and let it seep in warm water before drinking it or you can have a shot of freshly squeezed ginger & lemon combined with warm water and honey (my favourite).

2.  Raw honey

Raw honey is a natural antiviral, antimicrobial and antibacterial and wonderful taken by the spoonful or added to any warm drink like tea, warm water and lemon.  Local raw honey (local to you) can even assist in warding off seasonal allergies by helping adjust your sinuses to the pollen unique to your geographic region.

3.  Chaga

Chaga is a wild mushroom that grows right out of the birch tree.  It is believed to be the most nutrient dense of all medicinal mushrooms and possesses antiviral properties, boosts immunity and balances blood sugar.  Chaga is also known to work as an adaptogen –  meaning it helps the body – especially the immune system, regulate itself during time of stress.  You can mix Chaga powder into your smoothie or with warm water.

4.  Tumeric

We all love a good tumeric latte!! Turmeric is a super spice and contains a beneficial compound called Curcumin – curcumin supports anti-inflammatory responses throughout the body, helping to stave off viruses and the immune system working at its best.

5.  Ashwagandha

Similar to chaga, ashwagandha is an adaptogen, but it’s not a mushroom, it’s a root.  While chaga is known for it’s immune-supporting properties, ashwaganda is a stress-battling superstar.  It supports sleep quality and function, in turn helping boost our immune system.

6.  Vitamin C.

Vitamin C might seem like a boring immunity tip, but it simply can’t be underestimated.  Vitamin C is essential for strong immunity (great for your skin) and needed for growth and repair of our tissues, bone, teeth and tendons.  Most vitamin C supplements you can find are lab-made ascorbic acid, which is an isolated synthetic form of vitamin c, not the full complex of the vitamin found in whole foods such as lemons and peppers.  To get the full benefit of supplementing Vitamin C look for whole-food complexes, not isolated synthetic ones.

Some of my favourite choices:

Winter immune boosting tonic 

Freshly squeezed ginger root
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Warm water
Raw honey
Cayenne pepper

Combine to the balance of taste you prefer and sip away xx