We all are. In light of a rapidly spreading virus outbreak it’s never been more important to boost your immune system. Am I doing enough? Did I consume enough nutrients? Is my body strong enough to fight off anything that may come its way? These are the questions I keep on asking myself while also ensuring that I’m practising good hygiene by frequently washing hands, using hand sanitiser, avoiding directly touching surfaces in public places, and more. 
It’s worthwhile to point out that I continue to remind myself and others around me that eating real, organic, healthy vegan foods will cleanse the body and ensure that you are at your healthiest. It’s true that building a strong immune system is your best defence against infectious illness and disease. Your immune health depends on the lifestyle choices you make every day. By supporting your body’s own natural ability to defend itself against pathogens, you will not only have resistance to cold and flus but to other infectious illnesses as well. 
We are all very aware that there is no vaccine yet for the current outbreak of the coronavirus, leaving each immune system of the world’s population of humans to fight off infection. It’s daunting. It’s more difficult for some than others. But it’s very, very possible — so we all need to ensure that our immune system is able to work as best as it can to protect us. 
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: celery, kale, carrot, cabbage, apple, spinach, beetroot, and leafy greens need to be part of your every day eating routine in order to ensure that you’re consuming the very best antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. These foods are important as most of the immune system resides in the gut, and pure greens naturally provide the nutrients to keep everything healthy. 
Starting the day with warm water and lemon is said to aid digestion, flush toxins, and give the immune system a boost. Lemons are loaded with Vitamin C, which is known for its ability to combat colds.
A juice cleanse is another way to detox, which involves consuming vegetable and fruit juice periodically. The concept of making juice from fruits or herbs for health benefits has been used through the ages. After the invention of the first modern juicing machine in the 1930s, alternative health practitioners began recommending juicing as a cure for a number of issues with the body. If you’re wondering how best to be able to fight off infection, start drinking, and eating plants. Not tomorrow, or next week — but now. 
Fruits and vegetables are filled with rich vitamins, minerals, and fibres – and juicing them can extract those nutrients making them easier to digest. Drinking juice can also flood the body with healing nourishment while flushing toxins and waste. For maximum nutrient absorption, you should drink juice slowly rather than gulping it down. Remember that more than 50% of people are dehydrated, even without realising it. 
As my regular readers will know, I swear by the power of turmeric. Turmeric is hailed as one of the immune-boosting plant-based foods and a super spice in most health circles. Ensuring you are well rested is also key to boosting our immune system. When we sleep, our bodies are hard at work detoxing, repairing, and rebuilding. When we don’t get enough sleep, we’re denying our bodies the time it needs for these functions and we’re compromising on our immune system.
Every person who goes vegan reduces their own risk of suffering from heart disease, obesity, cancer, strokes, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and numerous other health concerns. From deadly viruses to the bushfires and rainforest fires fuelled by the climate crisis, eating animals has apocalyptic consequences. The best thing you can do for your own health and the world we live in is to go vegan right now. 


The author is an expert in vegan wellbeing and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92