Everyone around me is catching a cold. Within the last two weeks all of my workers have had a cold or currently trying to get rid of one. It’s spreading fast and I’m trying to dodge the bullet myself. If your family or friends have yet to get you sick there are some foods you can eat that will help your body fight off the onset of a nasty cold.
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Oranges
The Majority of you are aware that oranges are packed with vitamin C. So when you get sick you are quick to reach for orange juice. Before you do, take a look at the amount of sugar that’s in the juice. If the orange juice has too much sugar just eat an orange. Most orange juices contain too much sugar which block immune fighting cells.
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Grapefruit
If you aren’t aware, the grapefruit is part orange and is an excellent fruit to add to your diet. They are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. Add half of a grapefruit to your smoothies to help fight off a cold and help clear your skin. Avoid getting sick and get clearer skin. Sounds like a win.
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Garlic
Other than vampires, what do you think of when you see a garlic? If nothing comes to mind then this should help expand your views on little ole garlic. It’s not only a cancer fighter, cholesterol lowering, but a cold butt kicker as well. During a 12-week study researchers found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63%. Vampires aren’t the only thing garlic can get rid of. Press a garlic clove and swallow, or put it through a juicer to add to vegetable juice.
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Ginger
Ginger can sometimes be overlooked. But it does have a tons of medicinal properties. It’s not the prettiest, and is actually a root, but you can add it in your soup, smoothie or tea to reap the benefits of it’s anti-inflammatory abilities. Pick up some lemon ginger tea for the house to keep handy. Or pick up some fresh ginger from your local farmers market to keep in the fridge.
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Spinach
Remember what would happen to Popeye everytime he ate spinach? His muscles would grow. Spinach not only helps your muscles grow, but also have folate, niacin, vitamin A, B6, C and traces of other nutrients. All of these nutrients help you stay strong and healthy from colds.
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Blueberries
Blueberries are of course excellent in pies and smoothies. They help your eyesight, memory and aid in weight loss. These little blue buds also help boost your immunity and help fight off free radicals to fight off disease in your body.
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Avocado
This superfood has benefits that we need. It’s a great way to get our daily amount of healthy fats because it’s made of 23% fat, making it a fat rich food. It also has Vitamins A and K.Try not to overdo the consumption of this superfood, even though it’s healthy one avocado can yield 400 calories.
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Honey
There is nothing sweet about being sick. That is until honey comes into play. A lot of teas, cough syrups and drops include honey in their ingredients, not only to give you that sweet taste, but because it’s proven to be an effective cough suppressant. Try taking ½ a tablespoon when you have a cough coming on.
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Protein
This might be a new addition to this topic for many. Usually when talking about a cold it’s all about the fruits and vegetables. But eating lean meats, fish, eggs, and legumes supply the amino acids that your body needs to help build your immune system.
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Lemon
Lemons are a huge help. They are not only used in household cleaning items, and beauty products. They help strengthen your immune system. This is due to it’s ingredients of vitamin C, vitamin B, phosphorus, proteins, and carbohydrates. It’s definitely a multifunctional fruit that you should always keep in the fridge.
Many of these fruits and vegetables you can mix-and-match in your smoothie, eat alone or take in tea from. We also can’t forget about the benefits of adding protein in your diet. Even if you are vegetarian there are ways to eat protein so you don’t miss out on it’s amino acids.
Overall, If you adopt a healthy diet the foods will automatically help enhance your body as a disease fighting machine.
Teena Cathey is a certified personal trainer who focuses on endurance and energy training. She runs two group fitness boot camp classes called Go Harder in Detroit, MI. Teena is author of the free ebook, How to Find The Right Personal Trainer. When not with clients Teena enjoys painting, playing basketball or with her dog Mister. She’s very social, follow her on... Read More
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