Now more than ever, it's important to make healthy choices to keep your body's natural defences strong. While boosting your immunity doesn't happen overnight (and won't necessarily prevent or cure disease), a few simple changes to your diet can help nourish your body to fight against disease-causing organisms.

Discover a few natural immune boosters you can incorporate into your diet;

Citrus Fruits & Red Peppers
If you start to feel cold or flu symptoms coming on it's natural to reach for Vitamin C. This is because it's thought that Vitamin C helps to increase the production of infection-fighting white blood cells. As the human body does not produce the vitamin itself, you need to consume it daily to maintain your health. Luckily, most citrus fruits and vegetables such as red peppers are great natural sources of Vitamin C.

Some citrus fruits you can add to your meals are;

- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Limes
- Clementines

Spinach
Spinach is packed with antioxidants and is also a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It's easy to incorporate spinach into smoothies, salads, and even as a cooked side dish.

Interestingly, spinach retains most of its nutrients when it's fresh and uncooked. However, you can still consume it cooked or combined into a cooked dish as this makes it easier for the body to absorb Vitamin A.

Almonds
Almonds are a great source of Vitamin E and also provide the body with healthy fats. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect your cells from damage. Don't worry, you don't necessarily have to consume almonds raw, you can also add almond milk to your morning coffee or even use almond butter on toast.

Simple changes to your daily routine can help you consume more nutrients, benefitting your system in the long-run.

Turmeric
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and the curcumin found in turmeric may help to reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness. It's known for its bright yellow colour and is commonly used in curries. Brighten up your next family curry night with the flavoursome spice, or even add it into a classic chicken soup.

Garlic & Ginger
It's difficult to find a dish that doesn't include a dash of garlic, so it's relatively easy to include this vegetable in your diet. It is said garlic can help to fight off infections and germs. Add crushed garlic in savoury dishes, soups, sauces, or even with a little olive oil for a fresh salad dressing.

Along with garlic, ginger has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Not to mention, it can help ease nausea and even reduce sore throats. Be warned though, ginger has quite a pungent smell and taste which can be off-putting especially for younger children. Even so, you can get around this by adding a small amount of ginger to smoothies or soups which help to mask the taste.

Yoghurt
Yoghurts with live and active cultures help to stimulate your immune system to assist in fighting off diseases. Plain yoghurt or Greek yoghurt is your best bet as they aren't usually packed with sugar like other flavoured options. If you find the taste too sour you can sweeten yoghurt with a small drizzle of honey or by adding in your favourite fruit.

Yoghurt is also a great source of Vitamin D which also helps improve your body's natural defences against diseases.

Chicken Soup
Craving a comforting chicken soup when you feel ill sounds like a bit of a myth - but it's not! Bone broth works to heal your gut leaving you feeling soothed and comforted. It is also full of nutrients such as Vitamin B-6 which helps the body store and use energy. So when you're feeling a little under the weather it's no wonder a warming chicken soup does the trick.

It's Not Only About Your Diet
While it's not always easy to pack every meal full of immune system boosters, making a few changes every week is a good way to start nourishing your body from the inside out. Above all, combining a healthy diet with regular exercise is the real key to giving your body the best chance to fight off diseases.

To keep moving at home take a look at our comprehensive online classes offering live on Instagram every day. The timetable is updated every Sunday and there are plenty of classes to get involved with even if you haven't been active during lockdown. We recommend starting off with Daisy's Pilates class on Wednesday mornings or joining a Yoga class with Yas or Laz on Monday or Sunday. You can then build up to more intense classes such as Grit Cardio and HIIT over time.

Find out how to get involved with our live classes by following our step-by-step guide here: https://www.fitness4less.co.uk/blog/13860052/