6 Cold-Fighting Foods for the fall Season
The cold and flu season is just about here. Prepare yourself and your loved ones by educating yourself on simple meals that help prevent and treat colds. These meals contain ingredients which support your immune system’s eradication of cold-causing pathogens. Below is a list of these easy-to-prepare meals.
. Chicken Soup. Consuming chicken soup when you have a cold is a traditional yet effective treatment. The soup keeps your body hydrated. Studies show that the combination of chicken and vegetables in the soup inhibit neutrophil movement in the upper respiratory tract, thus decreasing cold and flu symptoms. Chicken soup has also been proven to increase air flow and decrease mucus buildup in the upper respiratory tract more effectively than hot and cold water. It also improves cilia function in your upper respiratory tract.
. Garlic. Consuming foods containing garlic (garlic bread, garlic rice) boosts your immune system. Garlic is also an antibacterial and antiviral agent — so it helps kill the pathogens causing your cold or flu.
. Ginger tea. Boiling ginger and drinking it like a hot tea can relieve your flu’s symptoms. Ginger has anti-inflammatory qualities, thus treating sore throats. It also has antiseptic qualities, helping your body kill off your cold-causing pathogens.
. Orange or lemon juice. Orange and lemon juice work two-fold in treating your cold. Their water content keeps you hydrated. They’re rich in vitamin C, which your immune system needs to fight microbes.
. Onions. Onions have antiseptic properties. Foods containing onions, like onion soup or onion bread, provide a powerful aid to your immune system’s effort to fight your cold-causing pathogens.
. Berries. Berries like blueberries and strawberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Antioxidants help your body fight cold-causing pathogens. The health benefits of berries are preserved even if you’re eating berry yogurt or shakes.
If you or your loved ones come down with the flu, take quick action by switching your diet to meals containing these foods. The antiseptic qualities of these foods will rid your body of cold-causing pathogens faster. These foods also keep your body hydrated and replenish your vitamin C and antioxidant stores.