Vitamin C rich foods.
Vitamin C is probably the most well-known immune boosting vitamin. We can’t make this vitamin ourselves, so it's important we get enough through our food and supplementation! Vitamin C has antioxidant qualities and is proven to prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections by enhancing various immune cell functions.

What to eat: The foods richest in Vitamin C are citrus fruits, bell peppers, acerola cherries, and rose hips.

If you choose to supplement with Vitamin C, I recommend liposomal forms because they are the most effective for our body to absorb.

Check out this scientific study for more info about the benefits of Vitamin C

Ginger
Fresh ginger is a powerful antiviral food that prevents the adhesion of viruses to the upper respiratory mucosa. This root has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can be sipped as a tea, taken as a “shot”, blended into smoothies or cooked with food. 

Recipe for ginger turmeric shot

Check out this scientific study for more info about the benefits of ginger

Broth
Both bone broth and vegetable broth contain a plethora of minerals that are vital “co-pilots” for many of your body’s processes, including our immune system. There is definitely validity to slurping our grandmother's chicken soup when we are sick. 

Studies have confirmed that glycine receptors, an amino acid found in bone broth, have been identified on the outer surface of several different types of immune cells. The hydration of sipping broth or soup also helps to care for your mucous membranes and lessen the impact of viruses. 

Here is my recipe for bone broth.

Study on glycine.

Stay hydrated!
Water, coconut water, herbal teas, and bone broth. Estimate for how much water you need at a minimum: divide your body weight (in pounds) in half and drink that number in ounces.

If you weigh 150 pounds / 2 = 75 ounces of  water per day
​

Ingredients:
-3/4 cup - 1 1/2 cups* organic dried elderberries
-1 cinnamon stick
-2 inches fresh ginger, sliced. 
-1 tablespoon schisandra berries 
-1/4 cup organic dried orange peel
-2-3 slices of dried reishi mushroom
-2 star anise pods
-4 cups water
-1 cup raw, local honey​

*The more elderberries, the thicker and stronger the syrup will be.

Instructions
-Place the bones in a 10 quart capacity Instant Pot or slow cooker, filling it about half full with bones. Add in the vegetables, herbs, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns and salt.
-Fill the Instant Pot or slow cooker with water.
​
- Slow cooker: turn on and leave for 12-24 hours.
- Instant pot: Lock the lid onto the Instant Pot and set the steam release knob to the "sealing" position.
​-Press the "manual" button and set your Instant Pot for high pressure for 120 minutes.
-After the time is up let the instant pot depressurize naturally for 30 minutes. 

Slow cooker and instant pot:
-Strain broth into quart size jars and let cool to room temp before storing in the fridge.
-Once cooled in fridge, fat with solidify at the top of the jars, use a spoon to discard fat layer.
-Store in fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Ingredients (2-3 Servings)
-1⁄2 cup amaranth
-1⁄4 cup buckwheat groats
-2 tablespoons roughly chopped almonds -11⁄4 cups water, plus more to soak the amaranth
-2⁄3 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of your choice
-1 tablespoon nut/seed butter
-1 tsp cinnamon
-Pinch of salt
-1 tablespoon honey (maple syrup or date syrup work too)
-Fresh fruit
​-Optional: Add 1 scoop of protein powder of your choice.

Directions
1.In a small bowl, combine the amaranth, buckwheat groats, and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Refrigerate, uncovered or covered, 8 to 24 hours.

2.Drain and rinse the amaranth mixture. Pour into a small saucepan, along with the water, almond milk, cinnamon and pinch of salt.

3.Bring to a boil over medium- high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Divide the amaranth porridge between two serving bowls. Option to add protein powder.

4.Drizzle the nut/seed butter and honey over the top . Sprinkle with with almonds and fruit pieces, and serve.

Makes 21⁄2 cups of amaranth porridge.

Recipe adapted from tastingtable.com