Slowly but surely it’s starting to feel more and more like winter. With the winter weather creeping up on us it is time to keep our immune systems up and be on our guard for the flu! I’m sure you all know how unpleasant it is to have a child home sick. Unpleasant for them and for us so here are a few tips to fight this year’s cold and flu season.
1) Chicken Noodle Soup
First tip is probably the most well-known but there is actual science and research now that shows why this dish can help sooth flu symptoms. That’s right it’s good ol’ chicken noodle soup. Most of the time people with colds get very congested in the nose throat and chest. Chicken noodle soup has shown that it helps thin the mucus that congests these part of our bodies. Everything in this soup is good for you. The broth and noodles in particular are a good source of carbohydrates that provide energy from keeping one from being lethargic. Veggies in the soup are an excellent source of nutrients and vitamins.
2) Garlic
This next smelly food is less commonly known for curing the common cold. Garlic has been known to prevent the cold also shorten how long the cold lasts. It has antioxidants that are good for nutritional value. Garlic is super easy to add into any dishes, some ideas are garlic and lemon chicken. You can throw a clove in some brown rice with mushrooms (this is one of my favorite ways).
3)Green Tea
Green tea is a growing favorite drink for many. It has great nutrient value with its antioxidant properties. This helps keep the immune system up and healthy. I know it can sometimes be tricky getting kiddos to drink tea. Study shows that people have taken a form of green tea had 36% less sick days. Some ideas of how to incorporate this into a drink would be to brew tea and then use the tea to make a fruit smoothie. By adding sweet strawberries or blueberries (which are both very good for you) will hide the distinguished taste of green tea.
4)Vitamin C
This next tip is more of a section of veggies and fruit. Strawberries, Oranges, Red Peppers and Broccoli are all good sources of Vitamin C. From the time I was little I was always told to take your Vitamin C every day. This is not to say that eating these assorted fruits and vegetables should replace a Vitamin C pill, you should take both in order to stay healthy.
5)Lean Meat
Lean meat is a good source of iron. Iron is important for your body to have because without sufficient levels of iron you can become Anemic. This affects most pregnant women and people who have a significant amount of blood loss. Symptoms can be lethargic behaviors and feeling cold more easily (among other things). Lean red meat, poultry and fish is also a good way to get Zinc. Zinc is important because it activates the white blood cells in your body which help fight off infections.
6)Honey
Mmmm Honey, mostly I eat this sweet indulgence with a roll and butter, but did you know that buckwheat honey when coated on your throat will reduce a sever cough. This is probably the most common offense of a cold, the horrid cough! It can also be the hardest to get rid of but with a teaspoon of honey your throat can be saved from feeling like sandpapers been rubbed up and down it. The appropriate amount of honey to give a child is as followed:
2-5 yrs old- ½ teaspoon
6-11 yrs old- 1 teaspoon
12-18 yrs old- 2 teaspoon
7)Hot Peppers
These spicy peppers are not only to make tasty food but also thin mucus in your nostrils. Have you ever noticed when you eat Buffalo Wings your nose always starts to run? This is because of Capsaicin. This is naturally found in peppers and it is responsible for the heat levels in peppers. I know some kids may not have developed a spicy pallet, but by mixing these with sweeter veggies like roasted onions and sweet potatoes in a hash is a way to soften the heat. Also taking the seeds out before you use the peppers is a way to keep heat down, most of the heat in a pepper is found in their seeds.
I hope these cooking tips are helpful for you and your family this cold season. Stay warm, stay healthy and active!
