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11/30/2016 11:01 PM’Tis the season! For flu, that is. Cold and flu season is that daunting time of year where we all seem over over wash our hands, stock up on tissues, and avoid anyone with the slightest sniffles to avoid catching the dreaded virus. With some secret weapons on hand, however, it’s pretty easy to battle this long season of sneezes, coughs, and dreaded body aches.
The nurse in me could spend hours talking about the importance of flu shots; simply put, go get it! The chef in me couldn’t stress enough the magical curative powers of homemade chicken noodle soup—be sure to check out my recipe on the blog! However, these are my top five must-have ingredients for flu survival!
1. Red Pepper: Loaded with vitamin C—more than oranges, in fact—red peppers have tons of flu-fighting power. Try them with hummus, stuffed with ground turkey and quinoa, or even in your morning omelet for an extra boost of vitamin C.
2. Elderberry Extract: Back in the day, this supplement helped me survive college finals when a nasty cold decided to try to knock me down. The flavonoids in elderberry help prevent cell damage, ultimately shortening your cold or flu. I take this once I start to feel symptoms creep up, safe to say, I feel better within a few hours. This is seriously a miracle supplement!
3. Bone Broth: This new superfood has taken over social media and is every health nut’s dream. Much like those magical powers of chicken noodle soup, this broth is loaded with minerals to help cure and prevent any winter time bugs. You can easily make it your own, but in a quick pinch, check the local grocery store!
4. Mushrooms: Helping to increase the effectiveness of white blood cells, which help fight infections, eat these babies up as often as you can. Great in stir fries, on sandwiches, or even in your bone broth for a double flu fighting option, mushrooms are a flavorful way to prevent reaching for the Dayquil.
5. Turmeric: Most virus infections are inflammatory processes, and turmeric is an anti-inflammatory herb. Try it as a tea, tossed with rice, in a smoothie, or to dress up some carrots for an extra healthy boost.
Tuck these five foods and supplements into your cold and flu arsenal. These secret weapons will give your body the fighting power it needs to prevent or lessen the symptoms of all those winter bugs this season!
*always be sure to check with your physician before starting any new supplements or diets
Taylor Grant Greenberg is a registered nurse and food blogger. Using simple substitutions, she enhances the nutritional value of guilty pleasures. Taylor specializes in creating healthy meals with a small budget in little time and in the littlest of kitchens. She blogs at www.thelittlechefthatcould.com. You can email her at thelittlechefthatcould@yahoo.com.