Quickest Way To Get Rid Of Flu And Cold With These 10 Foods | Nutrition & Dieting slideshows | Well Being center

Garlic

Garlic is truly an all in one spice. Its multiple health benefits truly make it be the “spice to go” for anyone wishing to achieve optimal health. Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties, anti-bacterial and even anti-viral properties; and the later makes it very efficient when it comes to making the flu fly away. Additionally, garlic can boost the immune system, rendering it more effective in fighting infections. Research has shown that fresh garlic is much better than the other alternatives to benefit from the full effects of garlic. So do not hesitate to add it to your stews, salads and salads dressings, or to use it in any other creative ways you might think of.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of jacksonwes by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/jacksonwes/3427812104/
www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/home-remedies-9/slideshow-flu-foods
http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/photos/10-flu-fighting-foods/sweet-potato
http://spoonful.com/recipes/best-foods-to-fight-a-cold#carousel-id=photo-carousel&carousel-item=10

Strawberries

Only one single cup of strawberries provide you with about 160% of your daily required intake of vitamin C! (Amazing, I know!) And no need to remind you of the wonders of vitamin C when it comes to fighting the flu...But in case tou forgot, allow me to remind you of it still: by boosting the immune system, vitamin C allows our body to better respond to infections and lowers the duration of the flu symptoms. Oranges and other citrus fruits are commonly known as a great source of vitamin C, and so are berries, especially strawberries. So there couldn’t be a better reason to indulge in a strawberry pie during this season!

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Photo courtesy of David Eriksson-Wigg by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/david-eriksson-wigg/8631734469/

Banana

Bananas are the ideal fruit if you have been hit with stomach flu, or if your flu is accompanied with diarrhea and vomiting (meaning that you are losing fluids). Another important point is that bananas are particularly essential for children who suffer from the flu. They are a rich source of potassium, which can be lost through vomitus. To make sure your child’s potassium stores are adequately refilled after a flu episode, include them in his/her BRAT diet: Banana, Rice, Apples and Toast. That way, your child will be eating what he/she likes, while revitalizing himself at the same time!

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Photo courtesy of Ian Ransley by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/design-dog/1249337589/

Pumpkin seeds

Everything about pumpkin is awesome and healthy, from its flesh to its skin! (And rest assured it’s probably just a matter of time before they find some hidden vitamins within the pumpkin skin too!) While the pumpkin flesh is rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene that stimulate the white blood cells of the immune system to multiply and fight the infection, the pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, an essential mineral for body functioning. Zinc is known for promoting cell growth. However, it inhibits the growth of viral cells, which could decrease the duration of your flu. So don't throw away your pumpkin seeds after doing the soup!

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Honey

If there is one thing that will always come up when discussing effective natural remedies against the flu, it’s certainly honey. It is now established - in the medical world, in our kitchens and even in our families - that honey is a must have in every household, be it in your kitchen counter or in your medicine cabinet! It is a natural sweetener with antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties that have been demonstrated over and over again. When you add it to your tea concoction (with some garlic, ginger and onion) to ward off the flu, the drink becomes a “super-drink”. So do not hesitate to use it both for prevention and treatment of your flu episodes.

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Hot peppers

The viruses responsible for the flu are heat labile viruses. Thus, they cannot multiply (and bother you) if they are exposed to heat. This is why the main strategy to get better and quicker from the flu is to be as hot as possible! Sauna, hot baths, hot soups, jogging, etc. anything that would work to get that virus out of your system! And this is why hot peppers naturall fall in line here. They contain a naturally occurring chemical, “capsaicin”; which is responsible for their hot taste. Consuming peppers produce a natural reaction of heat and tears; which can wash away the virus and break down the mucus, thus making you feel better.

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Mushrooms

Mushrooms are essentially rich foods and abound of vitamins and minerals that are crucial to proper body functioning. One of the main vitamins that mushrooms possess is vitamin D, essential to stimulate the immune system and strenghten our leukocytes. Because during winter there is low exposure to sunlight, we do not get enough vitamin D; and this increases our risk of developing the flu (in collaboration with other risk factors such as cold weather and higher prevalence of the flu viruses.) Mushrooms are therefore essential as they are a great source of vitamin D. Additionally, they are rich in selenium which is a mineral that stimulates white blood cells to produce inflammatory chemicals. Mushrooms are also rich in “beta-glucans” which activate white blood cells to fight infections.

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Chicken Soup

Why do we love chicken soup so much, especially when we have the flu? Because it works and makes us feel better in no time! The secret of how chicken soup works magic to help us to get rid of the flu comes from several factors. First, and probably the most ovbious, is the fact that chicken soup (just like any other common soup) is served hot, and this helps in weakening the flu virus which does not survive very well in hot temperatures. Secondly, the heat also helos in breaking down the thick mucus that might be obstructing our airways; and so it eases the work of breathing. Lastly, chicken soup is rich in carbohydrates that boost our energy levels and make us feel better.

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Tea

Green tea is a classic when it comes to fighting the flu. Even when we do not know what to take, our first reflex is always to prepare a cup of green tea, in hope that it would help. And it does, always. And it is not by chance that we do it. In fact, green tea is well known for being a natural herbal drink rich in antioxidants that prevent cell damage and help our body to fight off infections. And when it is served hot, it works as a double weapon against the flu viruses: the heat weakens the viruses and prevent them from multiplying, and the antioxidants prevent further cell damage.

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Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is quite a heavy starchy nutrient, and maybe this is why it is so good when it comes to dealing with the flu. First of all, sweet potato is rich in starch (broken down in carbohydrates) that boost your energy levels and make you feel more active; which is one step towards betterment. Additionally, sweet potato is rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a naturally occurring chemical commonly found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potato, squash, egg yolk, etc. just to name a few. Beta-carotene is known to improve vision, but also to boost the immune system by stimulating white blood cells to rapidly divide in order to fight the infection.