Which are the Best Common Foods to Boost Immune System Function?

Healthy eating sure can be confusing!

So here are some simple guidelines for choosing foods to boost immune system health for you and your family.

But first, ask yourself...

Are you afraid of the grocery store?

I thought that might get your attention! Who knows what is healthy anymore?

Pretty labels surround us, call to us, and try to suck us in - health foods, diet foods, low-sugar, no sugar, low fat, fat-free, high protein, all-natural, low sodium, low cholesterol, organic foods.

You can almost hear their little label pleas, "Buy me! I'm good for you!" Then you hear another little voice, this time coming from your head, "But I heard on the news that..."

Constant conflicting advice on what we should eat and how much of it we should eat can be enough to make you want to crawl into the fetal position.

No wonder something as simple as buying food can stress us, worry us, or riddle us with guilt.

You're trying to do the right thing and buy healthy, nutritious food for your family. You want them to have vibrant health and a strong immune system.

So what to do? Pick up some advice at the common sense aisle and remember these things when looking for foods to boost immune system health:

Always shop around the perimeter
of the grocery store.

This is where all the fresh, living, whole foods are kept. You know - the ones your grandparents and great grandparents would recognize as food.

The foods found here contain the most health-boosting, immune-boosting nutrients of a quality that you just can’t get anywhere else.

If you are looking for the best foods to boost immune system health, then go organic. Their conventionally-grown competitors almost always have less nutrients - sometimes MUCH less. And of course choosing organics will reduce your pesticide exposure!

So buy organic fruit, organic vegetables, and organic meats whenever your budget allows.

If you can't afford all organic foods, take a little time to educate yourself.

• Learn about the dangers of pesticides on the foods that we eat.

• Learn which conventional fruits and vegetables have the highest amount of pesticide residue (even after thorough washing!).

• Learn about the difference between organic meat and grass-fed meat (and how to save money on pricey grass-fed!).

This information can help you wisely decide where the extra expense is best justified when looking for foods to boost immune system function.

Eat less processed foods.

These foods live in the middle of your average grocery store, and have a very long shelf life because they are essentially "dead" foods.

Food manufacturers LOVE making these foods. They can do so cheaply with low quality ingredients, then add chemicals to make them taste good.

Even worse, these products can sit on grocery store shelves for months (or years!) without going bad, and so are highly profitable.

So believe me, you're not doing yourself any favors by eating this stuff.

If convenience dictates that you must buy some of these foods, then definitely avoid the products that contain the following health-destroying ingredients:

• trans fats - hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils
• high fructose corn syrup
• monosodium glutamate (msg) and the other free glutamate forms
• chemical concoctions that you don't recognize or can't pronounce
• foods that contain sugar at the top (or close to the top) of the ingredients list

Don't give processed organic foods or health foods a "free pass" just because of the label - ALWAYS check the ingredients. I know I've been quite surprised at what some manufacturers consider "health" food!

Be even more skeptical of so-called diet foods. They don't work! Some of these foods have even been found to contain chemicals to make you hungry! So when looking for foods to boost immune system health (and maybe drop a few pounds), stay well clear of the diet aisle!

Tying it all together

Yes, it can be challenging to not get caught up in all the latest health hype. But deep down, let your common sense be your guide.

Look at the ingredients of ALL the food you eat.

Surely you can tell the difference between a food product that has a few ingredients you recognize with a similar product containing a long list of foreign chemical concoctions.

The less chemicals, pesticides, toxins, artificial colors and flavors your body has to sort through, the better you will be able to fight off the real threats to your health - those germs that make you sick!

So when looking for foods to boost immune system health, buy organic whenever possible. Especially raw, whole foods that will nourish you.

And avoid the highly processed stuff (organic or not!) created as cheaply as possible by food manufacturers looking to make a big profit at your health's expense!