The whole world is currently suffering from the height of the Corona virus outbreak, along with the spread of seasonal flu and colds, which makes many wonder if there is something we have not done yet to strengthen the immune system this winter.
A strong and effective immune system depends on many factors, including your age and medical background, lifestyle habits such as exercise, maintaining adequate sleep hours, and maintaining a proper diet that contains all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
In the context of nutrition, there are of course ingredients you can add that have been found to be beneficial in strengthening the immune system.
There are quite a few plants that have the properties of expelling and destroying pathogens.
Traditional medicines such as Chinese medicine depend to a large extent on the healing, antiseptic and stimulating properties of various herbs, and the benefits of some of them have also been recognized in Western medicine, after being confirmed in modern scientific studies, according to healthy.walla.
Here are 4 components of the plant that have a positive effect on the immune system:
1. Echinacea (Echinacea)
Echinacea is one of the most versatile plants in terms of medicinal uses, ranging from pain relief and reducing inflammation to antiviral properties and antioxidant effects. Therefore, it is one of the ideal plants to support the immune system.
A meta-analysis published in 2006 in the Cochrane Library determined that taking echinacea after the first symptoms of the common cold appeared, such as a runny nose and nasal congestion, reduced the duration and severity of illness.
A systematic review, published in 2020 in the journal Advances in Integrative Medicine, found that taking echinacea can be beneficial for acute respiratory infections, but only if they start with symptoms.
The reason why timing is so important is that echinacea reduces the activity of inflammatory cytokines that are active in the body in acute respiratory infections.
So, if you feel like you’re getting sick or if you feel like you’ve seen a lot of people lately who may be exposing you to all kinds of viruses and winter illnesses, it won’t hurt to start taking an echinacea supplement for a few days in a row.
2. Garlic
One of nature’s most powerful antibacterial plants, garlic is especially beneficial for digestive health.
In fact, the explanation is that it is not only antibacterial, but also antiviral and antiviral (parasite).
In addition to the benefits to digestive health, garlic can also contribute to dealing with respiratory infections.
It appears that a compound called allicin is what makes garlic so antibacterial. According to a review of studies published in 2014 in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, allicin can help counter infections of notorious bacteria, particularly such as E. coli and salmonella (which cause food poisoning).
Additionally, another study found that garlic is also beneficial against the common cold. In the study, volunteers were divided into two groups: one was given a garlic supplement containing 180 mg of allicin daily for 12 weeks, and the other was given a placebo.
The researchers found that the participants who took the garlic supplement were less likely to get sick, and if they did, and did catch a cold, the period would be shorter than the participants in the control group who received the placebo.
3. Ginseng
Ginseng is a perennial plant mainly cultivated in China, Korea, North America and Siberia, and its roots have been a source for the production of traditional medicines in Chinese medicine for many years.
A study found that ginseng root can strengthen the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) – a system responsible for regulating the immune response to stress.
For many years, research has known and proven that stress negatively affects the immune system. Strengthening the HPA axis can also have a beneficial effect on strengthening the immune system.
Ginseng can also help balance the immune system, by regulating different types of immune cells, including T cells, B cells, macrophages and natural killer cells, a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte that is a key component of the innate immune system.
4. Reishi mushroom
Reishi (or lingzhi) is a fungus that contains beta-glucans — compounds that scientists believe stimulate cells of different types of the immune system, including monocytes, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells.
After these cells are stimulated by compounds found in the mushroom, scientists believe that the immune system is more alert and better prepared to recognize hostile agents that may attack it.
Moreover, there is scientific evidence that beta-glucans may have a beneficial effect on tumors and inhibit the growth of cancer cells, as demonstrated by the Sloan Kettering Cancer Research Center in New York.