8 immune-boosting foods to eat in February when winter illness rates are highest - Silicon Canals

"Last week, I found myself surrounded by coughing colleagues on a packed subway car, and it hit me: February really is the worst month for getting sick. The combination of post-holiday exhaustion, vitamin D deficiency from limited sunlight, and being cooped up indoors creates the perfect storm for winter illnesses. While we can't hibernate until spring, we can give our immune systems some serious support through what we eat."

"Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and clementines are loaded with vitamin C, which helps increase the production of white blood cells. These are your body's frontline defenders against infections. I've started keeping a bowl of clementines on my desk while working from home. They're the perfect afternoon snack, and peeling them gives me a mini break from staring at my screen."

February presents heightened risk of illness due to post-holiday exhaustion, reduced vitamin D from limited sunlight, and prolonged indoor exposure. A health scare at thirty sparked an intense interest in how food influences immune defenses. Certain common foods deliver powerful immune support during winter. Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and clementines supply vitamin C and help increase white blood cell production; vitamin C is not stored so daily intake is necessary, and one medium orange provides about 70% of the daily requirement. Keeping clementines accessible makes for convenient, mood-lifting snacks. Garlic contains compounds like allicin.

Read at Silicon Canals