Feeling under the weather? Kick that cold or flu to the curb with the ultimate immune boosting soup. It is packed full of vitamins and minerals from delicious fresh ingredients! You know those people who pride themselves on never getting sick? I’m not one of those people. I literally do everything in my power to stop it from happening (eat a healthy diet, exercise, wash my hands frequently, use essential oils) but it still happens nonetheless. However, I refuse to give up! I honestly believe in the healing power of food. No truer statement has ever been shared than when Hippocrates wrote “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.

No matter how hard I try, if there’s a chance of catching a cold from someone or contracting some strange stomach-turning bug in a foreign country, I am pretty much guaranteed to be the one who gets it. When it comes to sickness, I have the worst luck. When I’m starting to or are feeling under the weather, my first thought is to turn to my kitchen, not the medicine cabinet. This is especially true during the Winter months, where if you’re anything like me, you feel like you’re coming down with a cold weekly. Before I set you free to make this recipe, I wanted to share why I chose to use certain ingredients. I’m totally fascinated by the health benefits of various foods, so I hope you geek out to this stuff too!

Mushrooms

The soup is made in a mushroom broth (simmering mushrooms for an hour+) and mushrooms are a power food that contains Ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant that helps to eliminate free radicals. They’re also a powerful source of Vitamin D.

Coconut Oil

Contains two important anti-viral compounds, lauric acid and caprylic acid. Together these help ward off bacterial and viral infections.

Garlic

Eating garlic can actually boost the number of virus-fighting T-cells in your bloodstream. It also contains alliin which converts to allicin, which is believed to be the major antibacterial compound in garlic.

Turmeric

Probably best known for its ability to fight inflammation, turmeric contains a powerful antioxidant called curcumin, which is responsible for this decrease in inflammation that is oftentimes found to be related to various illnesses.

Bok Choy

It is very high in Vitamin A, which is essential for a properly functioning immune system, while also containing high amounts of vitamin C, an antioxidant that shields the body from free radicals.

Kale

I don’t even know where to begin with the powerhouse that is kale. It’s packed full of iron, which is essential for your body working at its ultimate level, along with being a great source of vitamins and antioxidants. When they say “eat your kale”, EAT YOUR KALE!

For the full recipe and instructions, head over to The Healthy Maven.