Your immune system is highly efficient in providing multiple defenses as your body’s tissues and cells work together to resist and defend against unwanted bacteria intrusions, infections and diseases.  Eating the right foods will help maintain, and possibly boost, your immune system.

Everyone has a different list of the top superfoods, but what most experts and nutritionists agree on is that superfoods must meet at least three of the following criteria:

• provide fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in abundance, compared to other foods
• are unusually high in antioxidants and phytonutrients
• spark chemical reactions or processes in our bodies
• low in calories
• easy to find and buy

Specific superfoods for immunity include:

• Vitamin A foods
• Vitamin C foods
• Vitamin E foods
• Selenium-rich foods
• Zinc-rich foods
• Potassium-rich foods
• Magnesium-rich foods
• Calcium-rich foods
• Garlic
• Omega-3 fatty acids – fish or flaxseed

If you are just trying to boost your immune system, eat the following zinc-rich foods:

		Lentils	Oatmeal
		Yogurt (low-fat to no-fat only)	Whole wheat bread
		Lima beans	Turkey
		Baked potato	Low-fat milk
		Crab	Pork (rarely)
		Salmon (often)	Clams
		Lobster	Peas
		Beef (rarely)	Lamb (rarely)
		Brown rice	Crimi mushrooms

Eat the following selenium-rich foods:

• Asparagus                                                      Garlic
• Mushrooms                                                    Beef
• Seafood – some fish

If you have high blood pressure, there are foods - which are not necessarily “super” by our above definition - but they will help you lower your blood pressure and enhance your immune system.

Potassium-rich foods:

		Honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon	Apricots
		Prunes	Bananas
		Lean veal	Pumpkin
		Lima beans	Spinach
		Sardines	Cod – not processed
		Milk – low-fat	Stewed tomatoes
		Peas	Orange juice
		Sweet potatoes	Flounder
		Peaches	Green beans
		Squash – winter is best	Potatoes
		Yogurt – low-fat

Eat the following magnesium-rich foods:

		Beans and legumes	Okra
		Broccoli	Oysters
		Spinach	Chard
		Tofu	Croaker
		Scallops	Whole grains
		Mackerel	Nuts & Seeds

Eat the following calcium-rich foods:

		Broccoli	Perch
		Turnip greens	Tofu
		Cheese – but only low-fat cheeses	Salmon
		Dairy products – only low-fat	Almonds
		Barley	Bran
		Brazil nuts	Brown rice
		Brussels sprouts	Cabbage
		Carrots	Cauliflower
		Coconut	Corn meal
		Egg yolks (no more than 1-2 per week)	Figs
		Hazelnuts (filberts)	Leafy greens
		Kelp	Lentils
		Millet	Oats
		Prunes	Rye seeds
		Sesame seeds	Soy milk
		Watercress	Whole wheat

Other good foods to enhance your immune system and help lower your blood pressure:

• Asparagus                                                      Celery
• Currants                                                       Chocolate
• Dandelion                                                      Garlic
• Onion                                                           Kiwi
• Mangos

If you have diabetes or any diabetic symptoms and you want to improve your immune system, add chromium-rich foods to your diet:

• Romaine lettuce                                            Onions
• Tomatoes                                                      Potatoes
• Oysters                                                         Liver

Eat fruits and vegetables that help balance sugar:

• Apples                                                          Pumpkin
• Onions                                                         Leeks
• Garlic                                                           Berries
• Cabbages                                                      Dandelions
• Artichokes                                                    Carrots

Eat Low-glycemic fruits and vegetables (partial list):

		Apples	Artichokes
		Asparagus	Avocado
		Broccoli	Cauliflower
		Celery	Cucumber
		Eggplant	Lettuce
		Summer squash	Zucchini
		Tomatoes	Cherries
		Grapefruit	Peach
		Peanuts	Peppers
		Pear	Spinach

Overall superfoods to eat as part of a balanced diet for optimum health include:

• Berries – blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, boysenberries, elderberries, raspberries and goji berries
• Pomegranate – drink 8 ounces per day (or at least a few times per week)
• Tropical fruits – mango, pineapple, passion fruit and papaya
• Sea vegetables – dulse, hijiki, kelp, kombu, nori and wakame
• Teas & Infusions – white, green, black, rooibos and Yerba Mate
• Green foods – spirulina, chlorella, blue green algae
• Green leafy veggies – chard, spinach, collard greens, turnip, beet and mustard greens. 
• Cruciferous veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout and cabbage
• Grasses & Sprouts – barley, wheat, oat, alfalfa and radish
• Walnuts & Almonds – eat a handful every day
• Fish – fatty, cold-water fish like salmon, sardine and herring