Herbal Upgrade for Your Coffee : Immune System
It can be troublesome to make sure we’re eating the right things to help our body function properly, and it’s especially important to take care of our immune system while we are going through a pandemic. Luckily, there are some simple things we can add to our usual meals and morning rituals to make it simple. I don’t know about you, but I love to start off my day with a cup of coffee and don’t usually go without it. Because of this, I decided that I should be very selective about my coffee to make sure it’s helping my body. Below are some herbs to you can add to give your coffee a boost for your immune system.
How Do I Make it Good For the Immune System?
First, I use my favorite coffee:
Death Wish Organic Coffee
Then I add:
A blend of mushroom powder
ashwaganda powder
astragalus root powder
collagen creamer
elderberry syrup
Why Mushroom Powder?
Mushrooms have a plethora of health benefits, so I like to use a blend of them to take advantage of that. If you’d like to know which are particularly good for your immune system, look to Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Turkey Tail mushrooms. Did you know that mushrooms are one of the few non-animal sources of Vitamin D? Vitamin D is hugely important to helping your body’s immune system. As someone who has a mostly vegan diet, I know it’s important that I incorporate mushrooms into my meals. They are also a great source for B vitamins, protein, and fiber.
Why Ashwaganda?
Also known as winter cherry and Indian ginseng, ashwaganda has an impressive list of benefits and is an adaptogen herb. One of its main uses is for alleviating fatigue and boosting energy, but it also helps the immune system. How? It’s been documented that it has caused notable increase of immune system cells!¹
Why Astragalus?
Astragalus is an immunomodulator as well as an adaptogen herb. If you’re that person that gets frequent colds or just has a weak immune system, this is an herb you definitely want to add to your arsenal of natural remedies. It’s even been beneficial to individuals with cancer and works great as a preventative measure to ward off infections.
Why Collagen Creamer?
Because I can… Actually, because I don’t eat much meat, I just use it to add more collagen for my body to have healthy bones, joints, and skin. It’s also nice that it has some protein. You really don’t have to use it for an immune system boost, but if you can add another benefit to your coffee, why not use it, right?
Why Elderberry Syrup
Elder flowers and berries are extremely useful for fighting infections. The berries are antiviral, immunomodulating, and rich in antioxidants. I add a tablespoon to give a little extra flavor to my coffee and reap the benefits. We made our own elderberry syrup in this video!
Disclaimer:
The contents of this post is not intended for formally diagnosing or treating ailments. We are herbalists, not licensed or registered healthcare practitioners. The content is for educational purposes only, and while we work to give you accurate information, you are responsible for your own research to verify that the contents are true. Please be sure to discuss the usage of any herbs with your healthcare practitioner.
References:
¹Mikolai, Jeremy, et al. “In Vivo Effects of Ashwaganda (Withania Somnifera) Extract on the Activation of Lymphocytes.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
