It’s never too early to begin thinking about how to boost your immune system against the germs that swirl around us everyday.  People who come in contact with large numbers of people every day and families of school children should be especially vigilant when to comes to preventing the spread of germs and boosting their body’s defenses.  There are several ways to do this, including hand washing and covering your cough or sneeze.  However, it is also advisable to boost one’s immune system to present a strong defense against those germy invaders.

Following are three foods that are good immune system boosters and keep you strong against winter colds. The best thing is that many of these items are either easy to get or already in your kitchen!

Apple Juice – Remember the old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away?  Apple juice contains a type of antioxidant called polyphenols, which are thought to provide health benefits such as anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.  However, steer clear of the clear apple juice.  Cloudy apple juice contains more polyphenols than the clear because it has not been strained and some solids still remain.  Eating the apple itself is also a good immune system booster, plus you get fiber from the pulp of the fruit.

Tea – According to Prevention magazine, drinking at least five cups a day of either green or black tea is a good immune system booster.  Both green and black tea contain the amino acid L-theanine, which boosts immunity.

Garlic – Garlic and garlic supplements contain a compound called allicin, which had antimicrobial as well as antiviral properties which may serve to fight off an attack of the common cold.  In addition, if you happen to get a cold while using a garlic supplement, the duration of the cold symptoms may be shorter and the symptoms less severe. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the recommended daily dosage is 2-5 grams fresh garlic, up to 1.2 grams of garlic powder or up to 1,000 milligrams of extract – whatever formulation that equals 2 to 5 milligrams of allicin daily.

These are just a few of the immune system boosters that you may take this winter to fight off germs.  Keep hands clean and remember if you do feel sick, try to limit contact with others to avoid spreading more germs.