Hearty Soups to Boost Your Immune System

Last month we talked about different ways to boost your immune system. This month I focus on the food aspect, particularly how including soups helps boost your immune system.

First, let’s talk a little about the Chinese medicine way of looking at the immune system. “Wei qi” is the immune energy of your body. It is the outer most protective layer that helps to ward off those nasty pathogens. In order for this layer to work as intended, it needs to be warm. Many pathogens come into your body when it’s cold and windy outside, so it makes sense that you should keep yourself warm during the winter months to keep from getting sick. This is also where the “sweat it out” recommendation comes from to get rid of illness at early onset.

Using foods like soups is a great way to warm your body from the inside out. With warm foods and liquids, you are building heat from the inside that will push it’s way out to the wei qi layer. A warmed wei qi layer can push out any pathogens.

Good sources of vitamins and nutrients

Boost your immune system further by giving it certain vitamins and other nutrients. For example, one study showed that chicken soup diminishes inflammation in upper respiratory conditions that often come along with colds and flu.

Bell peppers: Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C and are a perfect addition for soups and stews. Vitamin C is critical for the immune system.

Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are a rich source of beta carotene, an antioxidant that is good for vision, eye health, a strong immune system and for healthy skin and mucous membranes. Cooked sweet potatoes are also easy to digest, so they provide a maximum amount of nutrition that your body can easily absorb.