Trying to avoid colds and flu?

These foods can help.

 

"You can't underestimate the importance of good nutrition when it comes to...your immune system," says Karen Ansel, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

"Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants—these keep your body strong, and without them you're not giving your body the edge it needs to ward off infection."

Foods from every food group are represented for a reason. Make them a part of your diet for your best defense against colds and flu.

Omega-3 fatty acids - These compounds help reduce harmful inflammation in the body.  Chronic inflammation prevents your immune system from working properly, and can contribute to colds and flu as well as more serious diseases. Add omega-3’s to your diet by taking supplements or eating oily fish—like salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Don’t like eating oily fish – get your omega-3’s from OneLifeUSA’s 100% pure salmon gel caps found in our Something Smells Fishy product.

Zinc- This essential mineral, has a strong track record of fighting the common cold. A comprehensive review of the research, published in a Canadian medical journal in 2012, concluded that taking zinc lozenges shortens the duration of cold symptoms in adults.  Foods high in zinc include oysters. For effective lozenges that also meet a gluten free and kosher diet – go for our Zinc Lozenges – naturally orange flavored.

Garlic - These pungent cloves do more than just flavor your food. Garlic also contains allicin, a sulfuric compound that produces potent antioxidants when it decomposes. A study in the journal Advances in Therapy found that people who took garlic supplements for 12 weeks between November and February got fewer colds than those who took a placebo. And of those who did get sick, those who took the garlic supplement felt better faster. Just another reason those who take our Advanced Anti-Oxidant in a base of Echinacea and Garlic report they remain cold and flu free!

Probiotics – These are the beneficial strains of bacteria, which promote digestive health and help prevent stomach ailments. There are over 10 trillion bacteria living in our gastrointestinal tract, and you want to make sure the good ones outnumber the bad ones.  The benefits of good bacteria go beyond our gut. A 2011 review of the research found that consuming probiotics—whether in food or supplement form—lowers the risk of upper respiratory tract infections better than a placebo. Probiotics foods include yogurt and kefir.  Keep your level of probiotics in check and add a healthy dose of digestive enzymes with OneLifeUSA’s shelf stable EnBalance formula.

Tea -  A  hot cup of tea is known to  help break up chest congestion and soothe a sore throat, but now we know the benefits may be far greater. All teas contain a group of antioxidants known as catechins. These compounds have shown they may have flu-fighting properties. In a 2011 Japanese study, people who took catechin (tea) capsules for five months had 75% lower odds of catching the flu than people taking a placebo. Need another reason to turn to tea?  Other research suggests catechins may help boost overall immunity, rev metabolism, and protect against cancer and heart disease.  Brew some or your favorite or take some in capsule form – this one has too many mountains of evidence to ignore!  Capsule form of pure green tea is found in our Brabec Basics Green Tea product… cannot beat the quality and price!

 

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