Keeping it together during the colder months and warding off the plague of cold and flu that riddle the UK this time of year is at the top of most peoples priority list. However, it isn’t enough to just move your seat across the office when someone is coughing and sniffling at their desk. More needs to be done to up your bodies defences against viruses. One of the answers, along with frequent hand washing, and staying at least a few feet away from all people this season, is to eat the right foods. You can start by upping your intake of the following foods to give your immune system the boost it needs. Or if it’s too late, and you feel yourself slipping into a downward spiral of illness, some of the below foods can also help you to recover quickly!
If you want to make an effort to keep the cold and flu at bay, you need to build up your vitamin C intake. People tend to look to oranges as the go-to citrus fruit to stock up their vitamin C nutrients, but most citrus fruits such as pineapple and grapefruit carry this vital vitamin. So whether you use one of the ninja blenders to mix it into a fruit smoothie, or slice it up in chunks for breakfast, make sure you add some citrus fruit to your diet this season.
For some more immune-boosting food sources, think about adding more eggs to your diet. The yolk within the egg is the best part to eat to gain vitamin D, which is vital for helping your body to fend off any nasty illnesses such as most respiratory tract infections and colds. With an abundance of recipes involving eggs, you can whip up scrambled eggs for breakfast, or an omelette for lunch. There are plenty of ways to add more eggs to your diet with ease.
Due to its medicinal properties, garlic is a go-to for many who want to defend their bodies from the common cold. The compounds within garlic are thought to encourage some of the white blood cells in the body to fight off viruses which can gradually become the dreaded cold and flu illness.
The zinc found in wild salmon has been proven through various case studies to either reduce the severity of cold and flu symptoms or to improve the immune system’s defence against catching a cold or flu in the first place. As a suggestion, for a quick dish, wrap the salmon in foil along with some garlic, herbs, and peppers. And cook for about 15 mins in the oven at 180 degrees. Or alternatively, if you have a bit more time, make a delicious salmon and leek filo pie! Salmon has a wealth of health benefits, including Omega 3, which is essential for helping your brain to function.
Once you’ve caught a cold, it can be hard to shift and alleviate the symptoms. From a sore throat to a headache and blocked nose, ordinary shop-bought tablets sometimes don’t cut it. Ginger, however, is renowned for its anti-inflammatory qualities that can soothe the symptoms that arise with the flu or cold. And it can also help to reduce feelings of nausea too. If you’re thinking of ways to get more ginger in your diet, think about making a hot cup of ginger tea or warm apple and ginger soup.
Food that won’t take too much convincing to put into your diet is, of course, dark chocolate. By upping your chocolate intake, you’re giving your body the antioxidants it needs to rid your body of any free radicals. But also, as with salmon, dark chocolate has a high amount of zinc included. And zinc is vital for stopping common viruses from developing into the common cold.
As Popeye has long shown people, spinach will make you strong and resilient – at least in terms of your immune system anyway. Spinach is considered a superfood because of the number of benefits it has for your health. Which is why you should think about adding it to your diet in some way. So why not get creative in the kitchen and make hearty spinach and rice soup or lentil and spinach pie. In terms of fighting off the germs that come with the cold and flu season, spinach has bounds of much-needed vitamin C to keep your immune system healthy.
Whether you’re prepping your body with the right nutrients to defend yourself from the bugs that usually fly around this time of year. Or you’re hoping to alleviate some of your cold and flu symptoms. The foods above have got you covered.