As you look around your office you may notice more than one person sniffling, sneezing, or a few empty seats with people out sick. We are in the thick of cold and flu season which means there is no better time to do all you can to avoid catching a cold. Though the best way to avoid getting the flu is to get your flu vaccine, there are other precautions you should take and things you can eat to help you stay healthy.
What to Eat
You may have heard “chicken soup is good for the soul,” and it is! Chicken soup not only provides fluids, which you need when you are sick, but it also usually contains onions and carrots which boost antioxidants.
Eat your fruits and veggies! This time we really mean it! Colorful fruits and vegetables boost your circulating levels of all the cold- and flu-fighting nutrients.
Don’t skimp on your whole grain consumption. Whole grains help healthy gut bacteria flourish which can help tune up your immune system.
One that everyone is sure to enjoy – eat dark chocolate. Pure cocoa contains more disease-fighting antioxidants than most berries.
Plan on going fishing. Oily fish—including salmon, tuna, and mackerel—are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, compounds that help reduce harmful inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation prevents your immune system from working properly and can contribute to colds and flu as well as more serious diseases.
If raw garlic is not too strong for you, those pungent cloves can go a long way with helping you stay healthy.
Hot tea, this one may seem like common sense, but hot tea helps break up chest congestion, soothes a sore throat, and is packed with antioxidants that have flu-fighting properties.
As always, make sure you are drinking milk. Getting your daily dose of Vitamin D helps keeps colds at bay. Dairy-free or vegan? Try almond milk! It has many of the same nutritious benefits as milk and is also very rich in Vitamin E.
Be sure to check out our blog on healthy eating in 2018 as well to see how you can start your year off on the right track. One of the eight healthy foods on that list is nuts so you can cross two things off your list with almond milk.
For more superfoods that help fight colds and the flu visit Health.com.