Flu season is approaching, but it’s not the worst you should fear. This is the result of an increase in RSV cases, flu cases and his ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. You can’t avoid them 100%, but there are ways to prepare for potential infections this winter. First and foremost, it’s important to prime our bodies by focusing on a healthy immune system.
To prepare your immune system, the CDC recommends maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, taking vitamins, reducing alcohol consumption, and getting a good night’s sleep. These steps will help you have a healthier immune system, but you can always catch a cold or the flu. It is important to keep
To learn more about foods that can help support a healthy immune system that’s strong enough to get you through cold and flu season, we asked nutritionists what foods they like to have on hand when they’re sick. .
Having colorful produce on hand for when you do get sick will help you recover faster.
“Antioxidants such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids help fight free radicals (aka bad guys) that can damage cells and endanger your immune system,” he says. Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LDis a member of our expert medical board and is the author of sports nutrition playbook“And thankfully, these nutrients are in all of your colorful produce.”
So what should you stockpile as produce to get these antioxidants into your diet as soon as possible if you catch a cold or flu bug?
“Flavonoids are found in foods such as berries, kale, cabbage, and even dark chocolate; anthocyanins are found in berries, grapes, pomegranates, and dates; , found in red produce, and apricots,” says Goodson.
“Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant that helps keep the immune system strong against illness and disease,” says Goodson.
In fact, this vitamin can help the growth and production of white blood cells. Plus, vitamin C, like the other antioxidants mentioned above, helps fight off free radicals. You can also keep a vitamin C supplement on hand during the day. However, you can also get your daily supply of vitamin C from a variety of foods.
“You may only think of oranges and orange juice, but you can also get vitamin C from tomatoes and tomato juice, red peppers, other citrus fruits like strawberries, and green vegetables like spinach and green beans,” he says. Goodson explains.
If you’re a meat eater, it’s good to have lean beef on hand for when you need a nutritional boost after being sick.
“Zinc is a mineral that helps maintain a strong immune system, and beef is considered a good source of zinc, providing almost half of your daily zinc needs,” says Goodson. .
According to Goodson, if you’re a vegetarian or simply prefer plant-based protein over red meat, get more zinc from legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy, and even dark chocolate. I can.
according to Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FANDan award-winning nutrition expert, wall street journal best-selling author of Family Immunity CookbookKeeping Greek yogurt in your fridge can help provide your body with important nutrients.
“I stock up on a big tub of Greek yogurt because it’s a natural source of immune-boosting nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc,” says Amidor. provides a live, vigorous culture that acts as the “good” bacteria in the GI tract and helps protect the digestive tract.
If you don’t necessarily like plain Greek yogurt, try one of Amador’s recipes, such as Mom’s Berry Smoothie, this yogurt with berry compote, or this hot cocoa made with immune-boosting whipped cream.
While it’s not technically a food, drinking green tea can benefit your overall health, especially during flu season.
“Green tea contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that have been shown to help fight disease, so you’ll always have green tea bags in your pantry,” says Amidor. Polyphenols tend to activate signaling in different pathways of the immune system in the presence of an outside invader, helping the body to respond in whatever way necessary to combat it.”
If hot green tea isn’t your thing, you can always try this green tea smoothie bowl for a unique dose of powerful antioxidants.
Along with green tea, it is convenient to keep the above items on hand in case you suddenly feel unwell. While it’s important to take care of your immune system at all times, feeding your body these vital nutrients can speed up the recovery process.
