(NaturalHealth365) Why drink immune-boosting herbal tea during a pandemic? Well, not only is herbal tea a smarter choice than, say, diabetes-causing, toxin-filled soda pop or Kool-Aid, herbal teas are packed with immune-system-bolstering phytonutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins that protect your body against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and all the “bad things” out there, like the latest version of the coronavirus.

So, what’s the next step?  Try these 2 super-immune-enhancing herbal teas, and for the most health-bang for your buck – always buy organic herbal tea. 

Discover how to brew and steep nutrient-packed herbal teas for a strong immune system

If you don’t have a teapot on infuser, one great way to make herbal tea is to take one fourth cup of either blend below, add that to a Mason jar, then add boiling water enough to fill the jar. Cap tightly. Those loose herbs will dance all around the jar and fill it with all their healing compounds.

Steep 30 minutes to allow the herbs to really release all their valuable compounds. Next, strain the tea through cheesecloth or a very fine mesh strainer into your teacup and enjoy a cup of pure health!

Tea One: Super-immunity herbal tea blend

Green tea, with ginger, lemon, garlic and manuka honey

• 1-quart boiling, filtered, purified water
• Two, 1-inch pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 4 T. Loose green tea leaves
• Serve with 1 to 2 T. Manuka honey and ½ lemon squeezed and strained into your hot tea

Combine fresh ginger and green tea leaves into a mason jar and cover with boiling water. Steep 20 to 30 minutes. Add lemon and honey to taste.

The immune-enhancing powers of green tea, ginger, garlic, lemon and Manuka honey

Now, it might sound a bit odd, putting minced garlic (optional, of course) in with your tea, but the garlic is there to help you, especially if you are already sick. Garlic is a potent remedy for a cold, helping open the sinus passages and blast through phlegm.

Plus, the allicin in garlic boosts your white blood cells’ defensive powers to protect you from colds and viruses. The Manuka honey not only does its own immune-boosting magic but also helps disguise sweeten that garlic taste significantly.

Green tea, as researchers learned back in 2011, also contains a powerful polyphenol called ECGC, which has the power to increase our T cells, the huge army of immunity cells that help our bodies to combat viruses.  The catechins in green tea have proven in studies to actually which inhibit viral infections such as the flu by blocking the enzymes that allow them to reproduce.

Manuka honey has proven in studies to have strong antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant powers and may help protect individuals from the flu.

Ginger is an ancient cure-all and pungent, spicy vegetable with sinus-opening, expectorant powers when added to foods and beverages. It also boasts strong antioxidant and cancer-preventative properties.

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is packed with vitamin C and flavonoids, infection-fighting agents that combat inflammation. Plus, lemon contains 15 different antiviral compounds that will help you prevent and destroy a long-list of viruses, including the flu!

I squeeze citrus everywhere when I’m making teas or cooking. Plus, lemon helps to create a slightly more alkaline environment – making it more difficult for viruses or bacteria to thrive.

Tea two: Silver bullet herbal immunity tea

Ginseng, echinacea, rosehips and astragalus tea 

• 1-part dried rosehips
• 1-part dried echinacea
• 1-part dried astragalus
• 1-part dried Panax ginseng
• Lemon and manuka honey to taste

Studies show that Panax ginseng enhances our innate immune system, our first line of defense against colds, flu, and all kinds of bacterial and viral invaders. Panax ginseng has proven especially effective at eradicating the influenza virus. In human studies, supplementing with Panax ginseng proved to nearly double human NK cells and to enhance antibody activity against the common cold and influenza virus.

Echinacea is a powerful cold and flu fighter. Research has proven that Echinacea can effectively block the replication of various strains of the flu virus.

In human studies, astragalus has proven to help the body fight bacterial and viral invaders, including the common cold. It is also a very hepaprotective herb that helps the body to fight off viral hepatitis and stop the virus from replicating.

Rosehips are super-strong antioxidants and also have a high antimicrobial action in the body. They’re also high in immune-boosting compounds like vitamins C, E, B, and carotenoids.

In studies, rosehips have proven to have anti-inflammatory actions as well as helping to fight diabetes and cancer. They are also high in phytonutrients like gallic acid, quercetin, and catechins that help the body stay resilient to colds and flu.

Ultimately, both of these teas are purposefully designed to flood your body with antioxidants and phytonutrients that work to shield your body from viral and bacterial invaders.  It’s just one more thing you can add to your natural “tool box” to protect your health during these challenging times.

Sources for this article include:

Healthline.com
ScienceDaily.com
NIH.gov
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