As the temperature drops and the wind gets chilly, people start to feel under the weather. This time of year is widely known as the time when the flu and common cold threaten our health. However, there are things you can do to ensure you stay healthy all season long. In fact, you can fight the cold and flu just by eating the right foods.
Garlic might be lousy for your breath, but it is great for staving off sickness during the cold weather. First, this flavorful food contains a compound called allin, which can be a natural decongestant. Plus, an enzyme in fresh garlic boosts the immune response to viruses, which means it can fight common infections and illnesses. The best way to get benefits from garlic is to crush it and let it sit for about thirty minutes before cooking. Then, you can add it to virtually any dish for a flavorful health kick.
There's a reason so many health professionals recommend getting enough vitamin C. This powerful nutrient is great for giving your immune system the support it needs to fight the cold and flu. Don't worry if you hate orange juice, though. There are plenty of other foods rich in this healthy vitamin. In addition to citrus fruits, your best sources for vitamin C are green peppers, strawberries and potatoes.
If you do feel yourself getting stuffy, add a spicy kick to your food with some cayenne pepper. This pungent spice contains capsaicin, an element known to thin mucus and help you breathe easier. Just be careful how much cayenne pepper you add. If you don't like spicy foods, you can easily put too much in. Look to add just a pinch in chili, stews, and other warm dishes.
Finally, don't forget to keep the good carbs coming this season. Whole grains are an excellent source of zinc, a mineral essential for immune function. Although you can get zinc in many multivitamins, it is much better to get it from a natural food source. Your best bets are brown rice and whole grain pasta. Plus, these delicious grains also contain vitamin E. Like zinc, this vitamin plays a major role in healthy immune function.
Now that you know what foods can help you stay healthy, think of the many ways you can add them to your diet. Stuck for ideas? Go with an old favorite, chicken soup. You can turn this cold-fighting treat into a mega healthy powerhouse by adding some of the foods here. Toss crushed garlic into the broth and boil up some green peppers along with your usual vegetables. Instead of white noodles, toss in some brown rice or whole wheat pasta. To finish it all off, add a pinch of cayenne for a flavorful and spicy burst, and you have yourself a great winter meal.
So, when you feel the chill coming on this winter, don't head to the drugstore just yet. Instead, make a beeline for the grocery store and stock up on these excellent, health boosting foods. Make them a part of your daily diet, and you can feel your best all season long.
After you've been infected, it’s not too difficult to reduce the frequency of your cold sore outbreaks. Eat healthily to give your immune system its optimum chance of fighting back. Restrict your intake of foods rich in arginine. These are things such as seeds, chocolate, grain cereals, peas, gelatine, beer, cashews and peanuts. Arginine is an amino acid which occurs naturally and is needed by the cold sore virus to grow. Therefore if you can prevent yourself from taking in too many nutrients containing arginine you will go a long way in reducing the incidence of outbreaks of cold sores.
At the other end of the scale is another amino acid called lysine. However lysine doesn't encourage cold sores like arginine does; lysine seems to stifle them. Some people have found that taking a dose of 1,000 mg of lysine per day at the start of a cold sore outbreak does appear to contain the virus. This should then be followed up by further doses three times a day for several days to get maximum impact.
Try a whole foods diet that includes plenty of fiber and foods producing alkali, but excludes sugar and refined foods. This can help prevent further attacks. Eat high quality foods rich in nutrients such as fresh organic vegetables. Since people generally don’t take the recommended daily intake of minerals and vitamins, it would be strongly advised, particularly during a cold sore outbreak, to take vitamin supplements.
Caffeine, contained in either food or drinks, can make some people more prone to cold sore outbreaks than others. The type of things to be very wary of include coffee, chocolate and some cold soft drinks. Try also to avoid foods containing a lot of salt; they can irritate the cold sores and make them a lot worse than before. In fact it would certainly be a good idea to completely cut out salty foods from your diet until the cold sores have cleared up. Salty foods can irritate your cold sores and cause them to become extremely painful.
Avoid smoking and keep your consumption of alcohol to an absolute minimum. But remember, it is not only the types of food you eat that it is important but also keep a close eye on your general health levels, particularly stress levels.
Both Robert Harden & Robert H Black Black are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Robert Harden has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cardio Training, Build Muscle and Fitness. Robert Harden, fitness coach at Extremely-Fit, invites you to visit for more fit. Robert Harden's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.
Robert H Black Black has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Health and Disease & illness. Robert owns Cold-Sore-Free, a web site full of tips for sufferers to deal with, and overcome Cold Sores. Go to for more free information. Robert H Black Black's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.