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March 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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What to Eat When You Have
a Cold or Flu
Take advantage of some foods’ healing
nutrients to stave off illness
By Harleena Singh, Staff Writer
Your doctor cannot do much
about cold and the flu, but some
foods, drinks and herbs can ease the
symptoms and may even cut a cold
short.
There is no real way to cure the
common cold or the flu, but healthy
eating during the cold and flu season
can help keep you from getting sick.
Make sure you are getting the minerals, vitamins and macronutrients
your body needs to support your
immune system and stave off cold
and flu.
Whether you are sick or not,
protein is required to keep your
body strong. Nutrition experts recommend 50 grams of protein daily
for adults. If you eat foods high in
protein, you also benefit from other
healing nutrients, such as vitamins
B6 and B12, which contribute to a
healthy immune system. Vitamin B6
is present
in protein-rich foods such as beans,
turkey, spinach and potatoes. It also
enriches cereal grains. Vitamin B12,
a powerful immune booster, is present in milk, fish and meat.
Minerals such as zinc and selenium help keep the immune system
strong. These are found in proteinrich foods such as nuts, meat, poultry and beans. Garlic contains selenium, an antioxidant that scavenges
free radicals in the body, so consuming it increases your resistance to
infection and stress.
Another nutrient that helps fight
infections and supports the immune
system is glutathione. This antioxidant is found in the red, pulpy area
of watermelon (near the rind), as
well as in vegetables such as cabbage,
broccoli, collard greens and kale.
Flavonoids, found in the soft
white skin of citrus fruits such as
oranges, lemons, limes
and grapefruits,
also increase
immune
system
activation. Bland
foods such
as rice,
Warm drinks work better than c