Now that the cold and flu season is here, it is important to find ways that will help you survive it.
Most of us already know the basics when it comes to warding off a wintertime cold or flu – from excessive hand washing to loading up on vitamin C and getting plenty of rest, as well as keeping stress at bay.
However, incorporating these foods into your daily meal plan will play as much of an integral role in keeping you healthy, all season long.
1. Eggs
When you are under the weather, your stomach probably will not be up to the task of digesting a juicy burger or a big meal.
Yet you need protein to maintain your strength, whether you are sick or perfectly healthy. No worries! Fulfilling your protein portion is made easier with eggs, which are much easier to digest and cook.
2. Citrus
Everyone knows to reach for oranges (and orange juice) when you feel a cold coming on. However, citrus fruits like grapefruit or lemon and lime squeezed into tea will increase your vitamin C intake and give your body the strength it needs to fight off the flu.
3. Cauliflower
Health experts reveal that one cup of chopped raw cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C which helps prevent cellular damage, aids iron absorption, and reduces cholesterol.
Cauliflower, in particular, is a beneficial food to eat when you are sick because it is also rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off infection. Dip raw cauliflower florets in low-fat yoghurt, drizzle them with vinaigrette, or add them to your favourite vegetable soup recipe.
4. Chicken soup
Medical research studies have found that chicken soup has mild anti-inflammatory properties, which may help prevent colds and flu by decreasing mucus production, throat swelling, and irritation (so you might be spared the sniffles or sore throat associated with colds). When you make your next bowl of soup, load up on the veggies like onion, sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, and parsley.
5. Fermented foods
Add kombucha, pickles, miso, and kimchi, to your grocery list. Eating these foods every day is not only great for weight loss, and balancing pH levels, but also for aiding in digestion and helping to destroy and inhibit the growth of bad bacteria.
6. Hot beverages
Hot drinks, such as tea, can ease sneezing, sore throats, and fatigue. Tea has natural bacteria-fighting compounds, which help to fight off infections when you are sick. Not to mention, freshly-brewed tea is a great way to stay hydrated and soothe a sore throat and congestion at the same time.
Hot beverages such as chamomile tea, ginger tea, and decaf green tea can be soothing for the sinuses. Add a drizzle of honey and a spritz of lemon juice for an extra hit of vitamin C.
7. Raw honey
It is not all doom and gloom for those with a “sweet tooth” because on the list of flu-fighting foods, is the very sweet product – raw honey.
Forget cough syrups, raw honey is a great, all-natural cough suppressant. It soothes and coats your throat, but also promotes antioxidants, boosts your immune system, and increases disease-fighting polyphenols in your blood.
8. Ginger
This member of the Zingiberaceae plant family has been used both as a culinary plant and as a medicine for thousands of years.
It is particularly famous for its cold and flu-treating powers. It stimulates circulation and helps keep the sinuses and lungs clear of mucus. Ginger can be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, or it can be used to flavour a wide range of foods, including stir-fries, curries, fish, poultry, and meat.
9. Oats
Oats are a great source of grain and are rich in vitamins that your body needs to heal. Not to mention, oats are one of the easiest foods to make and have a wide variety of fruits and nuts to sprinkle on top.
10. Sweet potato
While not considered one of the traditional foods to fight the flu, sweet potatoes are crammed with vitamin A – enough to get your immune system back to perfect health after a few sweet potato snacks.
The nutrients in these good carbs help the body produce virus-fighting white blood cells and help keep mucous membranes healthy. A sweet potato mash side dish is the perfect meal addition to load you up on good old vitamin A, while simultaneously satisfying your winter comfort food cravings.
11. Pumpkin seeds
These delicious seeds are rich in immune-boosting vitamin E, zinc, and essential fatty acids, including the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant omega-3.
Ways to eat more pumpkin seeds is you can toast up some seeds and sprinkle them on salads or creamy soups for an immune-boosting crunch. You can also add pumpkin seeds to breakfast cereals or mix them with oats, coconut oil, and maple syrup for homemade granola.
