Summer is here and you may not be thinking about colds and cases of flu. But, it’s the perfect time to help boost your body’s healing ability by getting out by getting some good sunshine and eating fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables.
Then, as winter starts to set in, you can keep eating the healthy fruits and vegetables, focusing on a couple of good ones that really help your body fight off illnesses.
Ginger[1]
The best nausea herb ever. Ginger can help calm your stomach quickly, and has been proven to be as strong as some leading anti-nausea medications. Plus, it’s safe enough for pregnant women. Ginger is also great for reducing inflammation, coughing, and fever when drank as tea.
You can get supplements, candy ginger, or the whole fresh root. To make the tea, take a bit of fresh, sliced ginger and steep it in boiling hot water for 15 minutes. Let it cool and then drink.
Garlic[2]
Garlic comes right at the end of summer, and fresh garlic contains allicin, an extremely potent antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and heart-healthy phytonutrient. Although you can get garlic in a supplement, fresh garlic in your food is one of the best ways to get this herb.
Vitamin C[3]
Vitamin C can help your immune system and help you get over colds and the flu faster. Found in all fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you can eat your way to enough vitamin C. But, if you’re feeling a cold or flu coming on, vitamin C can help give your immune system a boost to get you over at faster.
Zinc[4]
Zin is used throughout your entire body to help healing, fight off infection, and increase your energy. It’s in most fruits and vegetables, especially mushrooms, asparagus, and broccoli, and if you need a little extra boost, a supplement can help. Taking a low-dose supplement of zinc every day maybe able to help keep you from getting sick from colds and the flu.
The best thing you can do to prevent colds and flu is to eat lots more fruits and vegetables, exercise, and get good sleep. Then, supplement your diet to help give you a boost when the cold and flu season starts.
References
1: White, Brett. “Ginger: an overview.” American family physician 75.11 (2007): 1689-1691.
2: Londhe, V. P., Gavasane, A. T., Nipate, S. S., Bandawane, D. D., & Chaudhari, P. D. (2011). Role of garlic (Allium sativum) in various diseases: An overview. angiogenesis, 12, 13.
3: Chambial, S., Dwivedi, S., Shukla, K. K., John, P. J., & Sharma, P. (2013). Vitamin C in disease prevention and cure: an overview. Indian journal of clinical biochemistry, 28(4), 314-328.
4: Prasad, A. S. (1995). Zinc: an overview. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 11(1 Suppl), 93-99.
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