Get Some Flu-Fighting Foods in Your Diet
February 3, 2009 by Holly
Filed Under Health, Health & Fitness
I have been sniffling and coughing off and on for a week now and it seems that no matter what medicine I take or how much time I spend “taking it easy” in bed or snuggled up on the couch with bad TV and great movies, the runny/stuffy nose and coughing comes right back a few days later. No matter where you live, for the past month, people everywhere have been suffering bouts of the flu in its many forms and January and February are the seasons that make up what we call the “flu season.”
Whether you’ve already been hit with the flu or not, it is important to get nutritious flu-fighting foods in your system. Whether you’re fighting the flu or warding against it, no one is safe from getting the flu, especially if you work in an office or retail environment or have children who are mingling with other children and teachers at school or for play who they can get sick from. Get these foods in your family’s diet!
- Red Bell Peppers
Red bell peppers have twice the amount of Vitamin C as an orange, believe it or not, and Vitamin C is an essential vitamin your body needs to fight off the flu. Vitamin C can decrease the duration of a cold by 80% as well as the severity of the symptoms, such as the sniffles and cough.
Red bell peppers go great in spaghetti sauce or chopped up in omeletes or on sandwiches. You can also put them on pizza!
- Yogurt
Yogurt contains probiotics. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing! Probiotics are the good bacteria that lines our intestines and defends our bodies against germs. It is important to buy plain yogurt instead of yogurt with added sugar and fruit-flavored versions because it contains fewer calories and more nutrients your body will thank you for. If you want want to sweeten up your yogurt, try adding a teaspoon of honey, which is also an immune booster.
- Green Tea
Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which is an immune-boosting chemical. To get the most health benefits from it, steep tea in boiling water for about 4 minutes. If you don’t like green tea on its own, try adding fresh ginger, fresh mint leaves, a twist of orange peel, or a cinnamon stick. It is also important to make sure to drink at least 3 cups of green tea per day to keep your immune system up.
- Almonds
Almonds are a great source of vitamin E which is a disease-fighting antioxidant. You should eat around 24 almonds (1 ounce) per day. You can eat them as a snack, put chopped almonds in oatmeal, salads, stir-fries or anything else you can think of; get creative!
- Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an immune-enhancing food due to their beta carotene content which is also the vitamin that gives sweet potatoes their orange pigment. This vitamin is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is helpful in the treatment of respiratory infections.
- Chicken Soup
Ah, the most cliche soup on the planet. But it isn’t just a myth that chicken soup is so good for you; chicken soup has mild anti-inflammatory properties which prevents colds and flu by decreasing mucus production and throat swelling and irritation. For your next chicken soup recipe, be sure to include the following ingredients: chicken, onion, sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery and parsley and there you have it, your perfect flu-fighting food!
- Garlic
Regular garlic consumption may make us 2.5 times less likely to get sick this season. The sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to kill viruses. Fresh garlic has more immune-boosting potential than cooked, so add a clove of fresh garlic at the end of cooking your dish.
Michael on Sat, 7th Feb 2009 3:56 am
precaution is always better than cure. nice article. we can include honey and lime juice too to keep flu at bay…
best drop ship
mercblogger on Mon, 9th Feb 2009 10:38 am
i like the garlic soup so much. . . .even if i have no fever i love to eat it
donna bella milan on Tue, 24th Feb 2009 11:44 am
I like chicken soup..not worried about health benefit…just love it
Chloe-Van on Thu, 12th Mar 2009 8:11 am
Im sceptical when it comes to foods for helping, I think if you are in contact with others who have the flue you will likely get it. What eating healthy will do is help your body to recover quicker, cant see that it will help with prevention. Its like the story we are told as kids, wrap up warm or you will catch a cold.
Ionic Foot Spa on Tue, 7th Apr 2009 12:55 pm
Although I am not sure if specific foods can prevent the flu, I definitely think they can help once the flu has attacked your immune system. Another awesome remedy that I think works awesome is the ‘Ionic Foot Spa.’ It works by soaking your feet in salt water, which removes all toxins from your body- making you feel better instantly. The method claims that the electric currents will pass through the salt-water solution and “ionize” the toxins within the body which cause them to be removed.
Diet on Fri, 24th Apr 2009 9:51 pm
Yoghurt aint that great, it`s got a lot of sugar.. Just thought I`d mention it.. =)
Lazer epilasyon on Wed, 29th Apr 2009 5:26 pm
Of course applying diet program is diffucult but to be slim and nice,diet is what a pitty a compulsory. We,Turkish People eat Yogurt.Yogurt is healthy and useful for diet days.
Swine Flu Masks on Sat, 2nd May 2009 1:34 pm
Thank you for your recipe
Adventurous Wench travel store on Sun, 21st Jun 2009 4:16 pm
An apple a day definitely works for me. I also take honey to boost my immune system.
Hair Extension on Mon, 17th Aug 2009 6:33 pm
Glad to hear that Green Tea is so good for you. I drink it ALL of the time in the winter, so it’s nice to see that there is some added benefit there!
Thanks for the great article!
dorkin on Tue, 15th Sep 2009 3:04 am
Interesting article.Discussing recipes with their benefits is great.I liked your discussions on green tea,almond and garlic.They are absolutely true.
Thanks for sharing nice information.
Vitamin Supplement on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 12:41 am
Do you know that healing food’s featureshave always been known to humankind? Food nutrients, herbs, and various diets considered to have therapeutic and healing effects.
For example, oranges were known centuries ago as treatment for respiratory disorders such as allergies and asthma, infections, aging.
Medimanage on Tue, 12th Jan 2010 4:55 am
Hello,
It is really nice to read this article. Thanks for simple way of writing and giving all the detail which need. Once again thanks.
If you are surrounded with colds and flu, with fevers and running noses; you must be worried that the Flu would get you. Don’t fret; get your hands on these foods to fight that dreadful flu.
The first step in the fighting the flu is by improving your immunity. This can be done eating a healthy diet. Having foods mentioned below in your diet especially boosts your immunity. But remember that “eating them overnight won’t prevent it; it takes 6-8 weeks for the body to build immunity
http://www.medimanage.com/my-diet/articles/8-foods-to-fight-flu.aspx