Foods That Help Protect You Against Cold and Flu

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Ok so we’re in the middle of winter, and there’re some yucky colds being spread around. One way to help you stay germ-free is to make sure you’re eating the right food. Organic food will boost your immunity, and if you’re unlucky enough to get sick, they’ll help you to recover more quickly and soothe those sore throats. Let’s take a look at the foods that can help to build your winter amour.

Natural Probiotics
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that keep your gut healthy. They are great for your overall health, aid your digestive system and support immune system function. Although probiotics already occur in your body, you can reap their benefits through supplements and some fantastic natural alternatives. Foods such as yoghurt, sourdough bread, kombucha, and sauerkraut are all fantastic sources of natural probiotics. In fact, we think they are so good we even blogged about them. Check it out here.

Cumin and Chilli
Research has suggested that both cumin and chilli are particularly good spices to help boost your immune system. Along with this chilli is high in Vitamin C, which is also a great health booster.

Try adding a bit of chilli to a classic chicken soup. Not only will it taste great but it will also help to clear the mucus- so keep the tissues handy.

Garlic
Hailed for thousands of years as an elixir of health, garlic is another must-eat product to stay healthy. Not only does it contain calcium and potassium but one clove also contains more than 100 sulfuric compounds. Sulfur is known for it’s great immune boosting abilities. The bad news is that you’ll get the most benefit from garlic by chomping on it raw. This is because both heat and water inactivate the sulfur enzymes which means the effects which we’ve mentioned may not be as potent as they could be.

Fluids
When you’re sick, the bodies function of creating mucus actually takes liquid away from your body. This means it’s important to help restore it. Drinking fluids will not only help to replace this water but will also help to loosen the mucus.

Lemon, ginger and honey tea is always a great option to help ease a sore throat and get the mucus moving. Here’s a list of how lemon, ginger and honey help your body when you’re fighting a cold.

Lemon- Lemon is high in vitamin c which neutralises free radicals and can help to reduce inflammation.
Ginger- ginger eases upset stomachs and nausea. Along with this, it will also help you to sweat out the toxins in your body.
Honey- Honey is the key in this mixture to help soothe your sore throat.

Gargle apple cider vinegar
We recently wrote a blog on apple cider vinegar which you can check it out here. But it’s also fantastic to eliminate bacteria in your throat. It is a natural antibacterial so try mixing 50%ACV with 50%water to help get rid of that sore throat.

Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral and has been linked to improved immunity. A range of dairy and meat products contain zinc so make sure you’re also getting some delicious organic meat into your system. However, if you don’t feel like chowing down on meat when you’re sick- cashews are also a great source of zinc.

Veggies
So we know this one is a given, but sometimes when you’re sick the last thing you want to eat is vegetables so let this be a friendly reminder… When you’re eating organic veggies, you’ll be getting a stack of nutrients, vitamin, and minerals into your body. So even when you don’t feel like it make sure you get your five a day.