Cold & Flu Season

                             

                                   Want to get ahead of this season? 

       Time to start making changes to our diets. Ensuring we have the proper defences is a start to making this season a bit easier on the body or missing it altogether.

     Yes even really healthy people can get caught off guard sometimes. One reason could be as simple as not eating enough of the cold & flu busting foods or second one that catches us all off guard and sometimes out of our control is not enough sleep. Not sleeping lowers our bodies defences as it will negatively effect our immune system. Improving sleep, exercise and cold & flu fighting nutrition is the team you are looking for, however my main focus is about the food & nutrition aspect to this. 

     A diet high in whole plant foods is your first step to building up your defence as these foods offer so many vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals which have many antioxidant, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties. 

    Stocking our kitchens with these natural defences including herbs is key to this season. 

So before you run to the doctor try some natural alternatives. 

    Also to note is that a lot of foods and herbs can have multiple purposes and can be in more than one category but usually we hear about them for their most strongest benefit.

Antibiotics.        Anti-inflammatory     Antibacterial.        Immune boosting.

                       

Garlic                 Fruit & Veggies         Cabbage                Citrus fruits

Onion                 Salmon, tuna            Fermented foods   Onion

Manuka hone     Soy & soy foods         Horseradish           Garlic

Oregano oil         Legumes                  Lemon                   Mushrooms

Fermented foods  Walnuts                  Pineapple              Yogurt

Goldenseal          Flax seeds               Tumeric                  Thyme

Andrographis       Herbal teas              Ginger                   Rosemary

Echinacea                                          Onion                     Sage

                                                          Garlic                     Oregano

                                                                                  Chicken noodle soup

These are just some as the lists are longer and again so many foods and herb cross over each section ultimately boosting the immune system. So the immune boosting category is huge because it is broken down into many other subcategories. 

Here are a few websites that give you a more elaborated description of Natures Health Care foods & herbs to help you make this season more pleasant. Stay healthy and may you be Nutritionally Well!

30 Foods & Herbs with Natural Antibiotic Properties - Care2
www.care2.com/.../common-foods-herbs-with-antibiotic-properties.html
Sep 19, 2013 - In herbology they are called astringent meaning foods and herbs that are natural blood cleansers and are antibiotic in nature.

Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You've Got to Know | The ...

theconsciouslife.com/top-10-anti-inflammatory-foods.htm

by Wee Peng Ho

Jul 31, 2009 - Boost your immunity and heal yourself with these tasty, natural anti-inflammatory foods.

20 Antibacterial and Antiviral Herbs and How to Use Them ...

www.sustainablebabysteps.com/antiviral-herbs.html

Cinnamon can be taken as a tea, added to food or the essential oil can be used. ... As anantibacterial herb, garlic is more effective against several types of  ...

Foods that Boost Immune System, List of Superfoods, ORAC Charts
www.immunehealthscience.com/foods-that-boost-immune-system.html
Information on foods that boost immune system, ORAC charts, list of superfoods providing glutathione precursors and cofactors of glutathione production.