broccoli Archives - Northpad Nigeria

15 Foods That Will Boost Your Immune System

by Ameenah Gumbi | Jan 26, 2022 | Health & Wellness

The immune system of your body has its own defence mechanism in fighting diseases off. It is important to keep our immunity in check. There are foods that boost the immune system and these foods improve the immune function of your body. They help to fight in a certain way. These foods have vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients required for proper immune function. Here are 15 foods we found for you:

Foods That Boost Your Immune System

1. Citrus Fruits

People take vitamin C once they feel sick. The reason is that vitamin C is essential in boosting our immunity. This vitamin increases the white blood cells production in your body. And they are important in fighting infections in your body.

Citrus fruits have a high vitamin C content. You can get your vitamin C daily dose since they are juicy, delicious and available. You can make smoothies or take them as they are, sliced or in water.

2. Broccoli

Broccoli contains a lot of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. It is one of the healthiest foods you should consume cooked. This is a healthy addition when you are pregnant, and it can boost your memory.

It contains nutrients that boost the immune system and help you fight off infections.

3. Almonds

Almonds are tasty and they help you fight the flu. And also, boost your immunity. It has vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants. Also, almonds have healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins. You can snack with about half a cup of almonds to meet up your daily dose of vitamin E.

Almonds and eyes? Read this.

4. Turmeric

The important food spices every woman has in her kitchen cabinet. Used for making fried rice for its bright yellow color. Also, used by brides for glowing. It is a well-known spice for its anti-inflammatory function and other health benefits.

It treats osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and is recently believed to cure cancer. By boosting the immunity of your body because of the compound curcumin.

5. Papaya

Papaya is a fruit that has lots of vitamin C. You can get your daily recommended daily dose of vitamin C in a medium size. It has an enzyme Papain that has anti-inflammatory effects. It also contains potassium, magnesium, folate, magnesium, folate, which are important in boosting your immunity.

6. Shell Fish

Shellfish contains zinc that helps our immune cells to work as required. It is important that you don’t take more than the daily recommended dose of zinc.

Taking too much zinc can actually inhibit the immune system function of your body. You can add it to your dishes or make a soup with it.

7. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of the foods that boost the immune system because they contain vitamin B riboflavin and niacin, and also selenium. Vitamin B help to boost your immunity while selenium helps you to fight off flu. They also contain polysaccharides that boost the immune functions of your body.

Another benefit is that Mushrooms can help with diabetes.

8. Garlic

Garlic is the most common ingredient found in every woman’s kitchen. This is because of the flavour it adds to food, it helps to fight bacteria, viruses and fungi. It is at its best when taken in its real form, not the extracted form or in powdered form.

Garlic lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and softens harden arteries. It has immune-boosting properties due to the allicin in it. It is a remedy for cold in many homes.

9. Ginger

Ginger is one of the most used ingredients by women. They use it in dishes, drinks, teas, and snacks. This is because of its taste and flavour let’s not forget its health benefits. It is also a good source of antioxidants and boosts your immunity. Ginger helps to reduce inflammation in your body, helps when cold, sore throat, nausea and vomiting.

10. Spinach

Spinach is also known as Alayyahu in Northern Nigeria. it is one of the most available vegetables in the North. it can grow in your backyard in large quantities without stress and needs little to no effort in its upkeep.

This nutritious vegetable has folates, fibre, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. It helps to improve your immunity as it has nutrients that aid in the division of cells and DNA repairs. it is best to cook it lightly to keep its nutrients.

11. Yoghurt

Yoghurt is a delicious and nutritious drink that is available in Nigeria. There are a lot of factories producing it. Like SAN yoghurts, Rufaidah yoghurts, Habib Yoghurt, Sahara yoghurts, and many more.

The reason it is considered as food that boost the immune system is that to produce yoghurts, live and active cultures are used in the mixture. This culture helps your immune system in fighting diseases. Yoghurts have vitamins, calcium and are rich in probiotics that help to reduce cold. Nut try to avoid yoghurts if you are diabetic.

12. Watermelon

A refreshing fruit that is delicious, nutritious and contains water in it. it is a good source of water, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and glutathione. This fruit has low calories and is used in gyms as a smoothie weight loss diet.

This is because glutathione that is present in the red part of the fruit helps in immune function. Pregnant women can add it to their diet to help them.

13. Poultry

Chicken pepper soup is the most common remedy for cold. Let’s not forget the tastiness of a crunchy drumstick or how soft and tasty a peppered turkey is.

This is because it helps in lowering the inflammation and reducing the cold. Poultry has vitamin B6, have gelatine, chondroitin that help in improving your immunity.

14. Kiwi

Kiwi is not available like other fruits in Arewa. It is a fruit that contains folate, potassium, vitamin K and C; it helps your body fight infection. Also, it increases white blood cell production in your system.

15. Green Tea

Tea is one of my go-to drinks for finding peace and inspiration. This is because it has a soothing effect on our nerves. Tea has flavonoids that are an antioxidant. Certain teas have L-theanine an amino-acid compound

Taking green tea will help improve your immunity. It will help you sleep better if you have insomnia. Chamomile tea and Green tea will also help you with weight loss.

Conclusion

There are certain foods that boost the immune system and help your body fight diseases off. They help in reducing inflammation, DNA repair, cell regeneration and improving immune function.

What are the foods that improve your immunity when you are down? Kindly leave your comments below to let us know what your immune boosters are.

8 Foods That Will Help Boost Your Memory

by Ameenah Gumbi | Dec 1, 2021 | Health & Wellness

What are the best foods that boost your memory? Will these foods reduce the length of time you spend learning? Will these foods make you smarter? Also, will it be better or more efficient than taking brain supplements to improve your memory? You are not the only one asking these questions. Researchers believe that eating a healthier selection of foods rich in phytonutrients will make you smart.

The founder of Kwik brain, Jim Kwik stated that a brainpower smoothie in the morning will boost your brain function throughout the day. When preparing meals, always make sure your meals are rich in vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Healthier fats and oils, herbs, nuts or seeds, or fruits are the foods that improve your memory. Let’s look at some in detail.

Foods That Will Help Boost Your Memory

1. Fatty Fish or Oily Fish

. Essential fatty acids are from foods and they are important as they promote healthy brain function as well as hearts and joints.

Oily fish contains Omega-3 fats in the form of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). Essential fatty acids are from foods and they are important as they promote healthy brain function as well as hearts and joints. Foods containing fatty acids reduce the risk of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and memory loss.

They help in lowering blood levels of the proteins forming damaging clumps in Alzheimer’s disease. To boost your memory, try eating fish that are not high in mercury at least twice a week to boost your brain function, or improve the structure of brain cells, have better-thinking abilities, and be smarter.

We have some fishing festivals in Northern Nigeria like the Argungu Fishing Festival. You should try it out.

2. Blueberries

Blueberries improve short-term memory loss as they contain anthocyanins. Anthocyanins reverse age-related deficits that affect neural and behavioural actions like memory functions. It aids in protecting memory and enhances brain performance.

It also contains flavonoids antioxidants that help in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. These antioxidants present in blueberries help in improving communication between brain cells, reducing inflammation throughout the body. Increasing plasticity helps brain cells in forming memory, boosting learning, and forming new connections and it also helps in reducing age-related neurodegenerative diseases and brain function decline. Make sure you add a handful of blueberries to your daily meals or eat it as snacks or even add it into your cereals or desserts to improve your brain function.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is high in glucosinolates and a good source of vitamin K. it enhances brain function and improves brainpower. It is Broccoli is high in glucosinolates and a good source of vitamin K. it enhances brain function and improves brainpower. It is also able to slow down the neurotransmitters hence, keeping your memory sharp. This food reduces oxidative stress and lowers the risk of neurodegenerative diseases since it contains isothiocyanates a degraded version of glucosinolates. It is also known to boost the health of the brain as it contains vitamin C and flavonoids antioxidants.

Try to incorporate broccoli in your meals at least twice a week to enjoy it.

4. Nuts

Nuts are considered foods that boost your memory because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants vitamin E which protect cells from radicals that cause oxidative stress. When you take enough nuts, it might help prevent cognitive decline since it is rich in vitamin E.

You should consider adding nuts to your meals or eating them alone or mixing in your vegetable soups like Miyan Taushe or in your salads.

5. Avocados

Avocados are beneficial to the brain because it contains monounsaturated fats that help in reducing blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain thereby brain function. They are good sources of carotenoids and vitamins that may help boost memory. It is also one of the healthiest ingredients for breakfast. It may also lower the risk of cognitive decline.

You can eat it raw or add it to your meals or even in your smoothies. You could check out 5 smoothies that will leave you asking for more.

6. Eggs

Protein is also among the foods that can cause bad breath, as eating too much of it and too little carbohydrates

Eggs are essential to brain food as they are sources of vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and Folic Acid. Vitamins prevent brain shrinkage and delay cognitive decline. The yolks are also rich in choline that helps in nerve cell transmissions.

Also, it helps in maintaining the structural integrity of the cells of the brain. It helps in increasing one’s attention and maintaining focus. You can add eggs to your Danwake and enjoy it.

7. Whole Grains

We need to eat whole grains to get the energy to power our brains.

To concentrate and focus either doing some tasks that need brain function or reading, you need energy and the energy is from the food we eat. We need to eat whole grains to get the energy to power our brains. This will solve the problem of losing focus or concentration.

Furthermore, whole grains are good for the brain because they release the energy in the form of glucose in the brain that goes to the brain and hence keeping you mentally alert for that day. Also, whole grains are a good source of foods that improve your memory as they are a good source of vitamin E. You can eat brown rice instead of normal white rice.

Take oatmeal as breakfast or even make a sandwich with whole-grain bread instead of the normal break you consume daily.

8. Soy Products

Soybeans are also known as Waken Soya in the North is a rich source of polyphenols antioxidants.

Soybeans are also known as Waken Soya in the North and it is a rich source of polyphenols antioxidants. These antioxidants are good in reducing the risk of dementia and they help in improving cognitive abilities in aging processes. You can make drink soy milk or you can make Tofu or “Awara” as a quick breakfast to enjoy the health benefit of this foods.

Here are 5 minutes of breakfast you can add to your meal plan.

Conclusions

There are certain foods that improve your brain’s health and help in giving you stronger memory. Foods that boost your memory are foods that improve your cognitive functions. The brain requires nutrients to stay healthy. These foods will not only help in fueling to maintain focus but also reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. There are also drinks and certain brain tips that can improve mental alertness and make you smarter.

What are the foods that improve your memory or cognitive function? Kindly leave your comments below or share them with your loved ones to let us know what your brainpower foods are.