3 foods to help you overcome a cold
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3 foods to help you overcome a cold
Arm yourself this winter season with these tips.
Let food be your medicine this winter and get back on track with these healing foods.
There’s certainly a place for cold and flu medication (ain’t nobody got time for symptoms). But it’s important to remember these are a band-aid, not a cure. It terms of setting yourself back on the path to wellness, you should (again) consider your diet. Here’s a few healing comfort foods:
Liquid love
Not quite feeling up to crunching a superfood salad today? Sip something instead. “Bone broths are high in essential minerals, glutamine which helps gut repair and immunoglobins which support the immune response,” Naturopath Lauren Reid says. “They can be made in advance and added to various savoury dishes for additional flavour and nourishment.”
Reid also recommends fruit and vegetable juices, particularly if you’ve lost your appetite. Her favourite winter juice is filled with carrots (“for vitamin A and carotenes that increase while blood cell activity and interferon production, essential for a healthy immune system”), pineapple, ginger, celery and lemon.
Spice of life
“Chilli, ginger and garlic all have immune stimulating and antibacterial properties so they’re a great addition to stir-fries, casseroles, soups and salad dressings,” Reid says. “Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and will help soothe an irritated throat as well.”
If you want to try a herbal remedy, herbs used in traditional medicine to cure colds include echinacea and andrographis paniculata. “Echinacea species boost immune response,” Reid says.
“They’re anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral and studies have shown it is effective to reduce the severity and duration of respiratory infections.”
“Andrographis provides symptom reduction for respiratory and sinus infections, so I will often recommend patients start taking this at the first signs of infection, to reduce the risk of becoming a full blown cold or flu.”
Herbs that are known to clear mucous and reduce discomfort include mullein, grindelia, white cherry, elecampane and thyme.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Fevers and lethargy often mean we fall prey to dehydration throughout illness – so get drinking. Einhorn alternates warm and cold drinks throughout the day to keep her fluids up. “Plenty of fluids is key in my wellness plan, whether its warm water with a squeeze of lemon and ginger, herbal teas and I’m continually sipping from my water bottle which is with me at all times,” Holistic kinesiologist Stephanie Einhorn says.
NEXT: Recreate this angus beef pie by Maggie Beer for a heart-warming winter dish.
