Boost your Immune System!
Our Immune System – What is it really?
It’s a fantastic mechanism working within us, protecting us against disease by identifying and killing pathogens (infectious agents) and tumor cells. Our immune system identifies a range of nasty agents from viruses to parasitic worms and needs to set these apart from our own body’s healthy cells and tissues so that the healthy cells and tissues can function correctly.
Detection can be complex for the immune system as infectious agents can adapt and evolve to successfully infect us. To endure this challenge, the immune system endevours to develop mechanics to help recognize and neutralize these agents. So let’s give our immune system a helping hand by eating healthily!
“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” – Hippocrates, AD 390
“You cannot achieve environmental security and human development without addressing the basic issues of health and nutrition.” – Gro H. Brundtland
“Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper.” – Ancient proverb
“You are what you eat.” – Ancient proverb
Garlic (Allium Sativum) – The Super Food Germ Buster!
A.k.a. “the stinking rose”, this bulbous perennial grows up to one metre high, with light pink or green-white flowers. Native to Asia, garlic is now grown Worldwide. It is in the plant’s bulb (cloves) that has the antioxidant & medicinal properties.
Constituents:Nutrients: vitamins A, B, C, & E, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, & other minerals. Phyto-chemicals: allicin, alliin (potent sulphur amino acids), beta-carotene, & more!
Garlic’s Key Actions
– antioxidant, antibiotic, anti-viral, antiseptic, anti-parasitic, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, fungicide, expectorant
Garlic’s Key Actions
– antioxidant, antibiotic, anti-viral, antiseptic, anti-parasitic, antispasmodic, diuretic, fungicide, expectorant
Benefits
Garlic provides an excellent defense for our immune system and in turn our lymphatic system (major part of the immune system). It also provides help with other bodily systems, and therefore is a good all rounder for wellbeing.
Respiratory: Garlic has a long and established reputation for helping the immune system especially with sinusitis, asthma, colds, flu, bronchitis and catarrh of the stomach.
Circulatory: Research has shown that garlic can help to protect the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of blood clotting, heart disease and other related conditions.
Other: Garlic was used to dress wounds during the First World War! It also helps to get rid of intestinal worms, stimulates bile for digestion of fats and helps reduce the occurrence of cancer.
Caution / Concern
Seek medical advice if taking blood thinning medication. Smaller consumption for children under the age of 12. Garlic is considered as a safe herb but as Lucretius said “What is food to one man may be fierce poison to others”. Also, too much of a good thing results in a bad thing. Moderation is usually key! Consider a clove or capsule equivalent for an easy guide to your daily dose for general well being.
The Italian Job by Michele Maes
Here’s a really tasty Italian, healthy food snack, or starter:
Toast a slice of bread, rub a glove of raw garlic (without the skin) onto the toast. Then rub half a sliced tomato on top of the garlic, & add some roughly chopped fresh basil. Drizzle a little amount of good quality virgin pressed olive oil over the toast and then lay very thin slices of Parmesan cheese on top. Delicious & healthy!
Immune Booster Juice
Tomatoes and carrots help contribute to your needed daily intake amount of vitamin C, ideal for maintaining a healthy body. Garlic, ginger and horseradish contain potent antioxidants and antiflammatory properties. All of these ingredients combined create a mighty anti-mucus punch!
The Hot Stuff Juice Mix, by miracle juicesTM
Ingredients:
300 g tomatoes, 100 g celery, 2.5cm fresh root ginger, roughly chopped, 1 garlic clove, 2 cm fresh horseradish, 175 g carrots, 2 ice cubes, celery slivers to decorate on top (optional). Juice all the ingredients (you need a juice extracting machine for this), mix the juice in blender or food processor with the ice cubes and serve. Decorate with celery slivers, if liked. Makes 150ml (1/2 pint).
Some of the Nutritional Values: calories: 189, Vitamin A: 51253 iu, Vitamin C: 87mg, Zinc: 5-52mg
NB: The contents of these articles are for information purposes only. The reader is recommended to think carefully about any difficulties he or she is having with their own health and to consult their doctor if uncertain as to its cause or nature.
