Cold And Flu Fighting Foods

The following are feelings associated with cold and flu, snotty nose, a mucus-filled throat and feelings of drowsiness. With these entire feelings one can say that cold and flu are one of the most frustrating, embarrassing and debilitating wet illnesses.

However there are some natural foods which if incorporated into your diet will arm you with the vitamins and nutrients needed to keep you away from cold and flu. They include..

 Garlic 

Garlic contains a potent anti-viral and antibacterial compound known as allicin which is responsible for its striking aroma as well as helping to eliminate microbes that cause flu. Research suggests that a diet consisting of garlic reduces the risk of becoming infected with the flu by up to 50 per cent. Garlic is also rich in vitamin C which has been identified to minimize the duration of flu.

 Ginger

Ginger is an antihistamine and powerful decongestant which helps to ease the symptoms of cold and flu. Ginger root also has antispasmodic and cough reducing properties helping to eliminate coughs for centuries. It also helps to thin bronchial mucus and allow it to easily move away from the lungs.

 Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes, are rich in vitamin C. It has been known for a long time that vitamin C is effective at keeping cold and flu at bay. However, a recent review of over thirty studies examining the relationship between vitamin C intake and flu revealed that just 200mg of the vitamin per day could help cut the risk of becoming infected by 50 per cent, especially in high stress individuals.

The review also found that vitamin C intake helps in reducing the length of time infected by a cold or flu by eight per cent in adults and 13 per cent in children.

 Mushrooms

 To be specific, these species of mushroom, reishi, shitake and maitake have been used across Asia for centuries for boosting the immune system and fending off cold and flu. Beta-glucan is the active ingredient in these mushrooms and it works to increase the ability of the white blood cells to fight off bacteria, microbes and viruses. This helps in reducing the risk of catching the flu, speeds up the recovery process, and reduces the chances of catching a secondary infection.