It’s dreadful to feel under the weather when you’re preggers. Truth is, you’re more prone to illnesses and infections when you’re pregnant, since your immune system is subdued to prevent it from rejecting your husband’s sperm and foetus.

A strong immune system won't just help you both fight off pesky germs, you're strengthening your unborn baby's immunity, too. So, reinforce your immune system during pregnancy with our top tips.

1. Kale

This leafy green has more vitamin C than an orange and more iron than spinach. Try kale stir-fried with garlic and seasoned with soy and oyster sauces.

2. Chicken soup

Chicken broth helps you shake off a cold. The ingredients, including stock, carrot and celery, are thought to have a medicinal effect on the immune system.

3. Practise food safety

Food poisoning may have serious impact on your unborn baby. Remember to always wash your hands and kitchen surfaces with hot, soapy water before preparing a meal. Avoid all raw and undercooked seafood as well as raw eggs, which can be found in homemade mayonnaise and Caesar salad. Wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them and avoid raw sprouts. Don’t eat cold cuts and deli meats unless thoroughly cooked to prevent listeriosis.

4. Air your home

Let fresh air in to get rid of humidity and mould, and make your home less of a sickness magnet.

5. Cut down on sugar

Eating a sugar-high diet lowers your body’s ability to resist infection. Sweeten food with Manuka honey, which has antibacterial properties.

6. Cherry juice

One glass increases the sleep hormone melatonin and improves your ability to snooze. In a study, participants who drank it slept longer every night.

Photo: iStock

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