Tips To Fight Off Colds And Flu

Cold season, change in weather or a weakened immune system can trigger us to get colds or get sick. Easy to pass something around at work, school, playground, gatherings, travel, or any other public gathering. Our best offense is a healthy immune system. Here are a few simple tips to help prevent or accelerate recovery from symptoms such as a sore throat, headache, runny nose, cold spells, fever and muscle pain.

Diet is everything

Eat a healthy and balanced diet which will be your first line of defense to fight sickness. Eating a variety of foods, thank all the rainbow colors, is especially important for a nutrient rich diet. Learn about the foods highest in antioxidants and incorporate antioxidant rich vegetables as well. Ultimately, food with vibrant color and freshness will catch your eye, and take care of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.

Micro nutrients matter

Examples include vitamin C, vitamin a, vitamin a, zinc, and a host of other micronutrients that are found in a variety of foods. Exploring new foods in your diet helps, rather than eating the same thing all the time.

1. Vitamin A - is important for your immune system, healthy vision, and skin.  Look for orange and yellow vegetables such as carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes. Vitamin A is also found in dairy, eggs, fish and dark green leafy vegetables, including avocado.
2. Vitamin B6 - helps stabilize nerves and red blood cells. Baobab superfruit is a good source of vitamin B6. Also, cooking chicken and vegetable soups are a good way to recover.
3. Vitamin B12 - Dairy eggs and meat are a good source of vitamin B12.
4. Vitamin C - Regular intake of vitamin C from whole foods help support your immune system. Our powbab baobab superfruit chews® are a good vitamin C source that is based from fruit. Kiwi, lemons, oranges, beets, asparagus are good choices for vitamin C.
5. Selenium - This trace mineral is one of the most important nutrients in the human diet. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant. Nuts, in particular Brazil nuts, are high in selenium, as well as chicken, turkey, eggs and mushrooms.
6. Zinc - is an essential mineral found in every cell that stimulates activity of approximately 100 enzymes, substances that promote bio chemical reactions in the body. Zinc is found in oysters especially, also in lamb, poultry, seeds, legumes, and dairy.

Probiotics + Sleep + Warm Fluids

Probiotics can help too. Our immune system is reliant on the health of our gastrointestinal tract, and probiotics support natural barriers, increasing the activity of white blood cells.

Sleep. Do not underestimate the need for quality sleep in order to stay healthy and look young.

Warm fluids. Keeping the body warm is essential to helping the immune system. Drinking hot water during cold weather helps a great deal. One idea is to do a hot ginger shot, which is easy to make and at first, it might be difficult to get it down, but you will get more used to it.  Slice up fresh peeled ginger, and steep in water to make a very concentrated ginger tea.  Drink it and you will immediately feel the heat as you swallow, excellent for sore throats or sinus congestion.  It will open up your senses due to the heat and soothing properties of ginger.

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