Eat These Foods. Prevent the Flu?

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Eat These Foods. Prevent the Flu?

 

From garlic to ginseng and sweet potatoes to shiitake mushrooms and broccoli

to Brussels sprouts, there are numerous foods packed with just the right

vitamins to boost the immune system, which can offer significant flu protection.

 

The American Cancer Society advises us to eat well to prevent many types of

infections, not just the flu.

Vitamins fight infection, but food is the best source of any nutrient--far

better than a supplement.

 

Plan your grocery list with these infection-fighting vitamins and foods:

Vitamin C: Oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, berries, carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet

pepper, tomatoes, spinach,

kale, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are packed with a powerful

antioxidant that protects the

cells of your body.

 

Vitamin A (as beta-carotene): Dark green leafy vegetables and winter squashes

contain beta-carotene

that can protect against cell damage and may enhance immune system function.

 

Vitamin E: Avocados, nuts, seeds, and wheat germ, as well as tuna, herring,

mackerel, and other fatty

fishes help make white blood cells that fight infection.

 

Selenium: This is an antioxidant that protects your body's cells and is found

in baked potatoes with the

skin, tuna fish, pork loin, eggs, turkey breast, wheat germ, and cashews.

 

Vitamin B-6: Bananas, salmon, chicken, sweet potatoes, watermelon, and

spinach are rich in this vitamin

that not only fights infection, but also helps produce hemoglobin, the

protein in red blood cells.

 

Organic yogurt: Eat this most days of the week. The yogurt's beneficial

bacteria helps maintain the integrity

of the intestinal tract, which enables the immune system to fight off

infection.

 

Mushrooms: Twice a week add a handful of mushrooms to your stew, stir-fry,

and soup. Best types for

protection against bacteria and viruses are shiitake, oyster, enoki, or

maitake mushrooms. Remember, always

cook mushrooms.

 

Garlic: Eat it raw. Two cloves a day is best.

 

Water: Drink, drink, drink. Drink 48 to 60 ounces of water every day and

drink green tea or black tea

most days of the week.

 

Exercise: Research at Appalachian State University shows that walking

30-to-45 minutes at least five days

a week (every week!) can cut the number of sick days from cold symptoms by 50

percent compared to a

sedentary control group.

 

The above suggestions were culled from several sources including the

Associated Press, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ABC News, Detroit

Free

Press, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Asheville Citizen-Times.

 

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