Eat These Six Powerful Foods for Cold & Flu Season Protection!

When the weather gets cold, people get colds...

As the seasons change and the weather gets chillier, unfortunately, we start noticing that many people around us are falling victim to the cold or flu. Have you started seeing it happen yet? Or worse, are you experiencing it now?

Colds and flues suck, plain and simple. And oftentimes, we only start to realize the importance of nourishing our bodies with immune-boosting vitamins and minerals AFTER we’ve been hit with the illness. That said, our Health Experts want to remind you that your best bet against contracting a nasty sickness is to keep your body well-nourished, and your immune systems healthy and strong at all times!

IT’S YOU VS. FLU SEASON… WHO WILL WIN THIS TIME AROUND?

You’ll have a MUCH better chances of completely dodging sickness this Fall/Winter 2017 if you consume enough of the right nutrients daily. (To get a good idea about your individual nutrition habits, a Nutritional Assessment with our Health Experts is a great idea).

So, just in time for the cold and flu season, we’re sharing 6 of our favourite foods known to supercharge the immune system… so your body can be better prepared to kick the sick before it gets you down!

1. Red Bell Peppers

Red bell peppers are chockfull of essential nutrients and phytochemicals, and actually contain double the amount of vitamin C as the majority of fruits and veggies with it. In fact, there’s a whopping 142 mg of vitamin C to be consumed in just a half cup of red bell pepper in its raw form! This is substantial because vitamin C is thought to boost white blood cell production, which play a fundamental role in combating infection.

2. Broccoli

“EAT YOUR BROCCOLI”! Seriously. Along with other “cruciferous vegetables” like cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, broccoli is a wonderful source of vitamins A, C and E, and also contains powerful antioxidant properties known to help fight disease. This tree-resembling vegetable also contains generous levels of glucosinolates, which stimulate the immune system.

3. Garlic

The immune-boosting and antioxidant benefits of garlic make it one special cold-fighting food. Garlic contains certain compounds known to combat viral, bacterial, fungal AND parasitic infections. (However – we advise you be careful with your garlic this Halloween, as evidence suggests garlic may actually attract vampires as opposed to repel them)! See Here

4. Turmeric

Often misspelled “tumeric”; this flavorful, golden-yellow spice contains the polyphenol “curcumin”, which is thought to contain powerful cold and flu-fighting properties and even anti-inflammatory benefits. Let’s hear it for turmeric!

5. Kefir

Consuming probiotic-rich foods with live and active cultures, like kefir and Greek yogurt, can improve the body’s immune response and protect from infection by boosting white blood cell counts.

6. Wild salmon

There’s a ton of vitamin D and protein to be found in salmon – and we need both in order to support a strong immune system. Research has actually shown that people with ideal levels of vitamin D experienced fewer respiratory tract infections than those who had insufficient levels of it – they also recovered faster from illness and felt better, faster! Our vitamin D stores also unfortunately decrease during the colder months, so it really is a perfect time to enjoy more salmon and other vitamin-D rich foods!

How we feel about colds: “Ain’t nobody got time for that”!

Remember: making sure you get enough of the right nutrients every day will do more than just reduce your risk of catching a nasty cold or flu virus. It’s always worth it to consume the right foods daily for overall health and wellness… because when you eat right, your body will reward you in so many ways.