When the weather gets chilly and we all head inside, germs spread quickly. I can’t even count how many colds my daughter picked up from school last year—it seemed like as soon as she had recovered from one, she’d come down with another. And then I’d end up catching them too!
13 Recipes to Boost Your Immune System
This year, I’m prepared. Immune-boosting ingredients like ginger, turmeric, probiotics, plus plenty of vitamins, and these immunity-boosting recipes will help fight off the crud and keep your immune system strong. Ready to give them a try? Scroll down to find out more.
1. Immune Boosting Grapefruit Smoothie
To keep your immune system humming, whip up this sweet, tart smoothie with grapefruit as well as ginger, beets, chia seeds, and yogurt for probiotics.
2. Camu Camu Pumpkin Spice Balls
These Camu Camu Pumpkin Spice Balls are a delicious way to boost your immunity—thanks to vitamin C-rich camu camu powder [source].
3. Orange Ginger Carrot Kvass
The trio of carrots, ginger, and orange, combined with probiotics to boost gut health, make this tangy drink a cold-fighting powerhouse.
4. Carrot Soup with Turmeric and Ginger
Nourish your body and your soul with this warming, creamy soup. A drizzle of olive oil helps your body absorb its nutrients.
5. Stay Well Oxymel
We’ll show you how to make an oxymel at home—it’s a combination of apple cider vinegar and honey infused with immunity-boosting herbs.
6. Immune-Boosting Infused Water
For a warming spice, try adding cinnamon sticks to infused water. Cinnamon is a powerful antimicrobial, helps to stabilize blood sugar, and is an efficient metabolism booster [source]. Pomegranate seeds and oranges add a dose of vitamin C plus some skin-loving antioxidants.
7. Immunity Elixir with Infused Apple Cider Vinegar
Combining chamomile-infused apple cider vinegar with ginger, turmeric, and raw honey results in an immune-boosting elixir to help you fight colds.
8. Lemon Ginger Echinacea Juice
Native Americans once held the secret to the healing properties of Echinacea (also known as purple coneflower) [source], but it’s now used by millions of consumers worldwide to support a healthy immune system.
9. Immunity-Boosting Switchel
If switchel sounds like an old-timey drink, that’s because it is! It’s made with lemon, apple cider vinegar, and raw honey, and its use dates back to Colonial times [source].
10. Homemade Ginger Tea
Especially when combined with raw honey, ginger is an effective remedy for cold and flu symptoms [source], and it can even be used topically to kill bacteria and promote wound healing [source].
11. Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Use elderberry syrup preventatively once a day during the cold season. Rich in vitamin C and anti-inflammatory properties, elderberries have been used for flu and sinus infections for a very long time [source].
12. Healthy Cold-Fighting Juice Recipes
Try these juice recipes to boost the immune system and maintain good hydration while you’re sick.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience in practice. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before using this recipe to determine what’s best for you.
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Your work seems to be informative. Thanks!
Try sipping on some garlic and honey tea and basil tea if possible. It really helps you decongest and can taper down an incoming attack if you are on the verge of contracting the flu virus.