As worries mount over a possible swine flu pandemic, clearly preparedness is on everyone’s mind. In the case of any infectious disease, your best defense is a good offense. This post asks the question: “Is your immune response low” and offers a proven 7 Day Immune Stimulation diet to help if it is.

Is your immune response low? It’s difficult to measure immune health. Every person is different and immune response varies widely. Still, this quick personal quiz is a good starting point to monitor your immune status:

    Do you suffer from chronic infections, colds or allergies? Are you always tired and stressed?

    Do you have chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus or fibromyalgia?

    Do you have irritable bowel syndrome (I.B.S.), leaky gut syndrome, or chronic constipation?

    Do you have diabetes or liver disease?  Have you ever been the recipient of an organ transplant?

    Have you taken long-term antibiotics or steroid drug treatment?

    Have you recently undergone surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment?

    Are you a smoker or are you exposed to second-hand smoke on a regular basis?

    Are you regularly exposed to smog, pesticides, or heavy metals like cadmium or mercury?

If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, your immune response could be compromised.  Restore your immune strength with the healing superfoods, drinks and herbal teas in my Immune Stimulation diet.

7-Day Immune Stimulation Diet

Powerful immune-enhancing foods can be directed at “early warning” problems, like the ones you might have spotted in your quiz.

For 7 days, try the following diet.

On rising: Take 2 – 3 tbsp. cranberry concentrate in 8 oz. water; or aloe vera juice with herbs; or an immune stimulating drink like Systems Strength broth mix.

Breakfast: Have a cup of Green Tea Cleanser. Make an immune-stimulating mix of equal parts: nutritional yeast flakes, lecithin granules, pumpkin seeds and flax seed. Sprinkle on your choice of: whole grain granola with rice or almond milk; fresh fruit and yogurt; or baked or poached eggs.

Mid-morning: Have a green superfood like Energy Green drink mix; or fresh wheat grass juice or mixed fresh vegetable juice.

Lunch: Have a green leafy salad with lemon-flax oil dressing; or a whole grain sandwich with sprouts, veggies and yogurt cheese; or a cup of miso soup with brown rice, shiitake mushrooms, and chopped seaweed.

Mid-afternoon: Have a glass of carrot juice or a cup of immune stimulating herb tea like Liver Cleanse Flushing tea, and some rice cakes with a veggie dip.

Dinner: Have baked or broiled seafood with brown rice and mixed veggies; or a light Italian spinach pasta meal with olive oil and herbs; or an Asian stir fry with fish, onions, garlic, bok choy and brown rice; or a tofu and veggie casserole with a low-fat yogurt sauce.

Before bed: Take a hot lemon and honey drink; or nutritional yeast broth, or miso soup with sea greens.

Every time you eat you can do something good for your health. You can always use your food as medicine.  The food we eat changes our weight, mood and our outlook on life. We literally are what we eat. Eating is one thing we still have control over every day for our health.