Winter is typically a time for sickness — but it doesn’t have to be.
These immune-boosting herbs are easily added to your diet so that you can be healthy all season long!
The best part? Some are probably in your kitchen cabinets already.
Kitchen Herbs With An Immune-Boosting Punch
Garlic is a powerhouse of antibacterial and antiviral substances — an essential first defense for fighting off colds or flu. Even better, this herb is readily available and usually no further away than your kitchen!
Winter is the perfect time to include this herb in your cooking. Use it raw in salad dressings, dips, and sauces; or cooked in soups and stews.
Ginger stimulates circulation, which in turn improves disease resistance. Thanks to its warming and antimicrobial properties, it’s an excellent herb for fighting off illness.
Ginger also works as an expectorant that loosens and break ups mucous in the lungs. That’s why it is in this old-fashioned homemade cough syrup.
So grate some fresh ginger into oatmeal or yogurt, throw some into your smoothie, or brew it into a warming tea.
Turmeric is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant — all major boosts to the immune system.
It’s usually a key ingredient in curries, easily added to rice and quinoa dishes or stews, delicious in drinks like a lassi or fermented tonic, and I personally love sprinkling turmeric on my popcorn.
Elderberry is another circulation-stimulating herb known for its antiviral properties and ability to remove toxins from the body.
Although you may not already have this one in your kitchen, if you can get your hands on some berries, you can incorporate them into everything from popsicles and fermented honey to syrups and tinctures.
Cinnamon, Cloves, Oregano, Rosemary, and Thyme
These readily available kitchen herbs and spices all act as antioxidants, with anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti-fungal properties!
Add some spice to your winter cooking and boost your immune system at the same time.
Immune-Boosting Herbs For Teas, Tinctures, and Supplements
Green tea has many benefits, but is most known for its antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids — all substances that support the immune system and help protect against colds and flu.
Readily available everywhere, this is an easy one to add to your daily regime. You could even mix it with a few other herbs to create your own immune-boosting tea blend!
This herb, long known as the herb for boosting your immune system, is readily available in a number of forms.
It is best taken at the first signs of a cold. If you’re going to take echinacea regularly as immune support, it’s best in a cycle of three weeks on, one week off.
This tea (#7), made from echinacea and peppermint, allows for the sweating out of toxins while sleeping.
Those with allergies to flowers in the daisy family should beware — you may also be allergic to echinacea.
This humble weed is actually a powerful medicine. It is full of vitamins, relaxes tension and stress, and fights colds and flu.
It grows practically everywhere, and blossoms are easily collected, dried, and stored for tea.
American ginseng is a notable herb with many uses, including helping the body recover from physical and emotional stress. This makes it a great immune system booster.
It is also known for its energy-boosting properties, perfect for a case of the winter blahs.
This known immune booster helps the body fight off disease. Not only does it increase immunity, but it helps to rebuild and restore the immune system after illness.
It is usually readily available either in capsule, tea, or tincture form.
Using readily available herbs to boost your immune system can help you keep wintertime illness away from yourself and your family.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You are responsible for your own health and for the use of any remedies, treatments, or medications you use at home. Herbs are powerful medicine. You should always speak to your health provider before ingesting any herb, especially if you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or on any other medications.
What herbs do you rely on to boost your immune system and fight illness?
More Immune Boosting Remedies
- Immune Boosting Homemade Elderberry Gummies
- Homemade Elderberry Tincture
- 7 Immune Boosting Remedies
- Cinnamon Licorice Tea (to boost your immune system)
- Pepper Juice – An Immune Boosting Tincture
- Homemade Cough Syrup
- Homemade Beef Broth
- Homemade Vegetable Broth
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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Great article! I have all but gensing. I also use cayenne, lemon, horseradish and apple cider vinegar.
Thanks, Heather! Those are all great suggestions, too. I often combine all 4 of those plus a little honey when I have a cold. Thanks for sharing!