Fragrant and delicious, herbs are packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other compounds your immune system needs to stay strong and healthy. Useful medicinal sections of an herb may include the leaves, the root and the seeds. Herbs are great to cook with or eat plain. For maximum immune system boost remember to use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs. Also note that you need to ingest herbs continuously over a long period to reap their full health benefits.
Basil
This leafy green herb is full of vitamin b6, beta-carotene, magnesium and vitamin C, making it a super star at boosting your immune system. You can find it in most grocery stores and it's easy to grow in your own kitchen as well-it responds well to being potted in sun drenched areas in well-aerated soil. Use daily in cooking, it mixes well with tomato-based dishes and all Italian food.
Parsley
Parsley is composed of volatile oils, flavonoids and nutrients that are capable of boosting your immune system in myriad ways. The most notable volatile oil is called myristicin; it is able to boost your immune system by neutralizing some types of carcinogens. The flavonoids act as anti-oxidants, capable of boosting immunity by capturing free radicals. Parsley's additional nutrients include vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid.
Garlic
Garlic boosts with human immune system with sulfhydryl compounds. In addition to regulating your immune system these compounds are credited with having antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Garlic also contains the minerals selenium and germanium, both powerful immune system boosters. The recommended dose is one clove (4 grams) per a day.
Chamomile
Chamomile is good for much more than a sleepy cup of tea. In addition to calming nerves this miracle herb has volatile oils that can aid digestion, break up mucus in the throat and lungs and aid the immune system. Chamomile's antibacterial and antifungal properties are accredited to steam distillation of these volatile oils, which is why chamomile is most effective in tea form. Gentle on the stomach, chamomile can be ingested throughout the day.
Ginseng
Ginseng root is a true herbal all star, balancing out the whole body and all body systems with its active complex carbohydrates, called ginsenocides. While ginseng is best known for increasing memory capacity and decreasing the effects of aging it has powerful immunity boosters as well. Ginseng root is though to decrease blood sugar, stimulate the endocrine system and help maintain proper hormone levels.
