We’ve all experienced a cold… they’re the nasty things that make your nose run, give you a splitting headache, and can even lead to a loss of appetite! With the colder seasons creeping in, we’re more prone to catching the common cold. Read on to find out our five ways you can beat a cold with food.
Enjoy a good dose of fruit and veggies
Eating a wide range of fruit and veggies ensures you are receiving a good dose of vitamins and minerals. Particularly Vitamin C which helps to reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms. You can find Vitamin C in citrus fruits and veggies like capsicum, kale and broccoli!
For a good dose of veggies we recommend you try our Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry and if you need an easy, quick way to consume fruit, try our Tropi-Kale Juice.
Embrace protein rich food
There are a couple of good reasons why consuming protein in each meal can help beat the common cold. Protein contributes to tissue repair and helps maintain muscle mass which is important for supporting the body when fighting a cold. Protein sources include beef, and chicken. Seafood and soy are also good sources of zinc, which too can help reduce the duration of a cold.
Looking for a healthy way to add in more protein to your diet? Try our Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
Include probiotics in your diet
Your gut is important when it comes to defending against cold symptoms. Probiotics help support the healthy function of the gut. They can help reduce the duration and severity of a cold. Think yogurt and kombucha – foods that have healthy bacteria and are yummy too!
Enjoy a bowl of Bircher Muesli topped with Greek yogurt to get a healthy serve of probiotics.
Drink plenty of fluids
Water is essential in maintaining hydration, and while fighting a cold, it’s likely that you’re dehydrated. Water also helps flush out any toxins, as well as carry nutrients and regulate your temperature, all which help when you’re feeling under the weather.
Sit in the sunshine
Cooler weather is around the corner and our time spent outside often decreases while we hibernate inside to keep warm. But it’s still essential to get Vitamin D each day, especially when fighting a cold! Low levels of Vitamin D is often associated with poor immunity. With many of us getting below the daily Vitamin D recommendations, it’s time to enjoy some sunshine. All you need is about 20 minutes, avoiding the peak of UVA/UVB rays which is usually between 11am – 4pm. Why not try to have a brisk morning or late afternoon walk each day?
Next time you feel a cold coming on, think back to these five tips! Food can support and fuel our bodies more than we realise.