To get rid of small daily ills and fight the best against infections, we put on the natural power of the food we eat. The point on the ingredients to add to our small plates to boost its natural defenses.

Echinacea to boost its production of white blood cells and T cells

The anti-viral Amerindians offers the assets of its rhizome and its leaves to enhance immunity by sending a wake-up signal to immune relays.

The result is an army of white blood cells and T lymphocytes, immune system cells, ready to hunt manu militari viruses and other toxic germs before they have time to weaken the metabolism.

It is taken as a three-week course (two capsules a day), which can be prolonged after a ten-day break, without exceeding eight weeks in comparison with its effectiveness.

Shellfish and crustaceans to prevent cell oxidation

Concentrated trace elements (zinc, iodine, selenium), iron and also vitamin D, as many micronutrients that interact to nourish its defensive vigor. Zinc is an excellent anti-infective drug that increases the production of immune cells, boosts the healing process and prevents cell oxidation (like selenium also antioxidant).

Iodine is the only fuel of the thyroid gland, a control tower of central regulation of metabolism. Insufficiently supplied, it does not secrete enough thyroid hormones and the body is dragging.

Vitamin D plays, in turn, the starters of the immune defense activity. Their richness is such that six oysters are enough to cover five times our daily needs in zinc, 100% of those in vitamin D and 50% of the contributions of iron, iodine and selenium.

Shitake to overcome the small evils of winter

The lentinans (polysaccharides) and the antioxidant phenolic compounds of this millennial fungus combine their striking force to eradicate the infections of the small pains of the winter, from their beginnings.

This fortifying is eaten in risotto or soup, to take advantage of all the lentinans that dissolve in the water. Available in dehydrated form in organic and Asian stores.

Probiotics to fight against unwanted microorganisms

These living bacteria that naturally colonize the gut microbiota doubly reinforce immunity. First, they take the place of unwanted micro-organisms and push them out.

Then, "they contribute to detoxification related to drugs, pollution, heavy metals," says Dr. Didier Chos, president of the European Institute of Dietetics and Micro-nutrition. Knowing that 70% of our immune cells are housed in the small intestine and in the colon, pampering them with good doses of probiotics: in yogurts, miso, sauerkraut and in food supplements.