Eat these 9 foods to fight off cold or flu
Which foods can help deal with the flu and a cold (Illustrative photo: freepik.com)
In winter, it's impossible to avoid seasonal viruses. A nutritionist revealed the best foods to fight unwanted winter illnesses, such as colds and flu, claiming that they will strengthen gut health and the immune system.
Nutritionist Megan Rossi shares the 9 foods you should eat to tackle a cold or the flu.
9 foods to boost your immunity in winter
"Aim to eat as many of them as possible over the next 7 days along with upping your plant diveristy as gut microbiome diversity has been linked with a lower risk of respiratory tract infections," said the expert.
According to her, these foods are packed with nutrients and phytochemicals such as vitamins A, D, C, E, B6, and B12; folic acid, copper, iron, zinc, selenium, flavonoids, fiber, omega-3, and curcumin, all of which help strengthen your immune system.
List of foods
- Walnuts
- Garlic (raw)
- Mushrooms
- Firm tofu
- Carrots
- Barley grains
- Chia seeds
- Turmeric
- Broccoli
Regarding tofu, she specifically recommended choosing firm tofu as it contains twice as many nutrients compared to soft tofu due to the water content in the latter.
Recovery tips
- Rest a lot.
- Drink plenty of fluids, such as water, to prevent dehydration.
- Eat healthy food (usually, young children lose their appetite for a few days).
- Gargle with salt water to soothe a sore throat (not suitable for children).
- Drink a hot beverage with lemon and honey to ease a sore throat.
- Inhale steam to relieve nasal congestion – try sitting in the bathroom under a hot shower.
We also wrote about 5 drinks that contain all the essential nutrients for the gut.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
