Avoid flu season like the plague this year by consuming these 6 foods.
In the chillier recent air, you might catch drafts of cinnamon and nutmeg floating out of open grocery stores and restaurants. But, the delicious seasonal air should also remind us that flu season has arrived. While we have already been on COVID-19 high alert for the last year and a half, we now have to take extra care to not contract or spread any seasonal sicknesses. Include these seven nutritious foods in your diet to boost your immune system and fend off cold and flu symptoms.
Blueberries contain higher concentrations of antioxidants than any other berry. One type of antioxidant in particular, flavonoids, work efficiently to prevent and treat cold symptoms, especially upper respiratory tract infections.
Eat a handful every morning with breakfast or toss them in the blender for a cold-busting smoothie.
Zinc has been known to drastically reduce your chances of contracting the cold or flu and greatly reducing your symptoms if you have already contracted one or the other. Can you guess which food is filled with this miracle vitamin? Yep—salmon!
Grill, bake, or pan-fry this zinc-rich food three times a week this season and give your body the leg-up it needs.
I am always going to tell you to eat more broccoli, so this immune-boosting food should not come as a surprise! It's a powerhouse vegetable that builds your immunity, fights free radicals, and reduces inflammation.
Roast your broccoli in the oven to pair with your grilled salmon and you have a powerful flu-fighting dinner! If you like it raw, you can also munch on the florets as you dip them in hummus or greek yogurt.
I don't know why everyone wants to throw away the egg yolks. They are the most nutritious part of the egg! The yolks contain high amounts of vitamin D, which regulates and strengthens your immunity. Especially as we near the winter, absorbing our vitamin D from sunshine becomes harder and harder. So supplement with some yolks!
Breakfast scramble, anyone?
You definitely walk to sip down some green tea this season. It boasts a large amount of flavonoids and catechin, which boost your immunity and kill harmful bacteria and viruses. It can also increase your energy and decrease any inflammation!
Since it does contain caffeine, swap it out for coffee in the morning or sip on it during the midmorning slump at work.
Garlic has been used as a natural remedy for centuries because of its powerful flu-fighting properties. It contains a compound called allicin, which you may indirectly recognize since it gives garlic its delicious smell. Besides its distinct flavor profile, allicin also contains a high amount of immune-boosting nutrients that bolster your body's natural defense system and simmer any cold and flu symptoms.
Crush it, mince it, chop it, or chew it. Garlic pairs well with any of your weeknight dinners.