Being sick is the worst. Coughing. Sneezing. Wheezing. I hate it.
Unfortunately, wintertime is peak season for illness. Flu is at its worst in January and February, colds love cold weather. And viruses for ear infections and bronchiolitis thrive in the winter months. So, yea, your odds of getting sick are pretty high over the next few months.
But that doesn’t mean you have to get sick this winter. Mother nature has the goods we need to fend off a runny nose. So, if you hate wheezing and sneezing as much as me, dig into nature’s bounty and follow these eating tips to keep your immune system strong.
Eat greens daily. Green vegetables are full of protective micronutrients and phytochemicals, which makes them powerful antiviral and antibacterial agents. The phytochemical isothiocyanate, for example, has been shown to heighten resistance to viral infection and increase the body’s cell-killing capacity. To maximize these veggies’ power, eat greens raw or chop them up before cooking them.
Up your mushroom intake. Mushrooms empower the body to react swiftly and forcefully when viruses and unhealthy bacteria make their way into the immune system. Their rich in vitamins, phytochemical compounds, and other micronutrients the help white blood cells attack foreign invaders. Choose any mushroom variety – white button, cremini, or other – to reap the benefits.
Snack on seeds. Sunflower. Flax. Pumpkin. All of them are helpful in keeping a cold or flu at bay. Seeds are potent antioxidants and are extremely helpful when looking to enhance the body’s defense system. Their high vitamin E content protects the cell walls from damage. Eat them raw, at home or on the go, to ward off illness.
Add a little bit of fat (the good kind). Fats help your body absorb nutrients. Eating insufficient amounts of it compromise the body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and healthy phytochemicals. So, add some cold-pressed oil, avocado, seeds or nuts to a meal to help keep the body in tip-top shape (Just remember a little goes a long way).
Incorporating these habits into your routine will help you stay healthy. You don’t have to get sick this winter. So don’t ????
