Before I take a bite of food, I always ask myself – will this fight or feed disease? Disease fighting foods are (usually) unspecific to cancers, or diabetes, or cardiovascular disease, etc… but they improve your body’s ability to function at its best no matter the circumstance. Healthy (or unhealthy) functions in one part of the body greatly affect the rest of the body. Eating well and living well to build the immune system can lead to healthy gut bacteria balance, a smooth movin digestive system, and clear skin. Although comprised of many systems, the body works as one.
With that being said… It is more important now than ever to boost our immune systems. Fortunately, boosting our immune systems will boost our other systems in turn! I combined 4 pretty accessible foods, each with anti-viral properties to make an easy little immune booster – thanks to Magdalena Wszelaki for the recipe. I apologize to your breath in advance…
INGREDIENTS
1. Garlic – unfortunately, cooked garlic and whole garlic do not have the disease fighting and immune boosting capabilities of crushed or minced garlic. When garlic is crushed or cut, allicin is released. Allicin is a sulfur containing component that has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. So to get the most out of your garlic… 1. Chop or cut fresh cloves. 2. Let it sit for approx. 10 minutes.
2. Ginger – I am sure that you’ve heard of ginger’s health benefits… especially relative to digestion. It is a superfood that has been used in Eastern medicine for YEARS. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory abilities as well its role in increasing body temperature and flushing out toxins.
3. Lemon – I am not just talkin lemon juice here. I am talkin the whole thing… peel and all. The most commonly known lemon benefits have to do with its vitamin C content and alkalizing effects. Citrus fruits are incredibly nutrient dense – and even more so in the peels! They contain tons of vitamins and minerals that can help boost your body functioning.
4. Honey – unfiltered raw Manuka honey is recommended (I use Wedderspoon). Honey is well known for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey makes it very difficult for a virus to survive!
INSTRUCTIONS
- Chop, crush, or mince 10 garlic cloves. Set it aside and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- SCRUB a lemon, remove the seeds, and chop half a lemon into small pieces (peel and all).
- Remove the skin of ginger root with the back of a spoon and chop about 3 inches of fresh ginger into small pieces. Combine with chopped lemon.
- Mix approx. a tbsp of raw honey (preferably unfiltered manuka) with the ginger and lemon.
- Finally, mix in the chopped garlic!
TIPS
A few tips… my mom likes to just go for it, put on a brave face, and eat two or three tablespoons spread out throughout the day. I on the other hand like to add a tablespoon or two to a big salad for some flavor – no dressing needed!
Don’t fear a green or blue tint! This could develop as a result of the chemical reactions of garlic + lemon, or ginger + lemon. Totally safe to eat!
No need to worry about your breath harming others because we’re all social distancing anyway 😉
ENJOY!!
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