3 Vitamins that can boost your immune system.

Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. In fact, a lack of vitamin C can even make you more prone to getting sick. Food’s rich in vitamin C include oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, kale, and broccoli. Daily intake of vitamin C is essential for good health because your body doesn’t produce or store it. The good news is that vitamin C is in so many foods that most people don’t need to take a vitamin C supplement unless a doctor advises it.

Vitamin B6 is vital to supporting biochemical reactions in the immune system. Vitamin B6-rich foods include chicken and cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna. Vitamin B6 also is found in green vegetables and in chickpeas, which is the main ingredient in hummus.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection. Food’s rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds, and spinach.

How to grocery shop to boost your immunity

A simple rule can help you when choosing fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or farmers market: The more colorful the fruits and vegetables are, the better. Look for non-GMO!

“Try to eat a wide variety of foods and aim to eat fruit and vegetables from every color of the rainbow,”

It’s also important to know that you build a strong immune system by maintaining healthy eating habits over time. Sugar is the worst!

While vitamins and supplements can help fill in the gaps in your diet, the best way to load up on essential nutrients is to get them straight from food.

Your body absorbs and uses vitamins and nutrients better when they come from a dietary source. When it’s a vitamin or supplement, it’s often questionable how much you’re getting. Because supplements are regulated as foods, not as drugs, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t evaluate the quality of supplements or assess their effects on the body. But buying non-GMO and organic is a good rule of thumb.

Staying hydrated can boost your immune health. Water helps your body produce lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells. Try to avoid overdoing beverages that can make you dehydrated, like coffee. Or try eating more hydrating foods, such as cucumbers, celery, or watermelon.