adding these foods to your diet can boost your immune system
Cold and flu season can begin as early as October. In order to strengthen resistance to germs that cause you to get sick, make sure you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Below we have tips on how to eat healthy this time of year.
Make room on your plate for food that are proven to help boost your immune system:
Mushrooms such as Shiitake, Maitake and Reishi
Garlic
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefuit
Food rich in protein such as chicken and beef
Peanuts and peanut butter
If you are sick with the flu, try the following foods that may help make you feel better:
Ginger tea
Chicken soup
Eating healthy is only one of the things you can do to help prevent getting the flu. Below are other tips that may help:
Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
Don’t share cups, silverware or other items that touch your food and drink with someone else.
Keep items frequently touched like doorknobs, faucets and telephones clean.
References:
Microbes Infect, 1999 Feb; 1(2):125-9, Antimicrobial properties of allicin from garlic, Ankri, S, Mirelman, D.
Tingg U. Selenium: its role as antioxidant in human health. Environ Health Prev Med. 2008 Mar;13(2):102-108.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health Website. Washington D.C. Selenium. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/ Accessed March 25, 2015.
Sorice A, Guerriero E, Capone F, et al. Ascorbic acid: its role in immune system and chronic inflammation diseases. Min Rev Med Chem. 2014 May:14(5):444-52.
Shankar AH, Prsda AS. Zinc and immune function: the biological basis of altered resistance to infection. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998:68(suppl):447-63S.
H3329_2019_BLOGFluSeasonFoods Approved 12032019
Last updated October 29, 2019
About the Writer
Allison Tannenbaum has been a Registered Dietitian at CenterLight Teamcare’s Westchester Center for more than a year.