Using nutrition to fight the flu is important during the winter months.
According to an article on Cooking Cache the following items should be taken into consideration:
- Choose foods rich in vitamin C
- Eat more garlic and onions
- Eat brightly colored fruits and vegetables
- Drink tea (tea for kids should be decaffeinated teas)
Choosing vitamin C has always been a consideration for all of our diets. Fruits and vegetables containing this vitamin are your best source. Here is a list of those fruits and vegetables to consider:
broccoli, chili peppers, dark green leafy vegetables, oranges, guavas, strawberries.
You can find a more thorough listing here in this article "Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin C." Be sure to eat those fruits and vegetables that are in season for our winter climate. Locally grown California produce is your best choice, shop at the farmer's markets near you.
Buying frozen blueberries and strawberries for a morning smoothie for your kids is a great choice during the flu season. You can add a protein powder that contains a probiotic for further flu prevention.
Probiotics are essential in keeping your kids tummies balanced. Growing up part Asian I've learned that keeping my stomach clean and balanced at all times of the year has prevented illness for myself and our kids. Also, drink plenty of water at room temperature.
Eating more garlic and onions has always been a great choice for keeping the body healthy, unless you and your kids are allergic to them. They are known to be an anti inflammatory. According to the the article I've mentioned above, the following information is very important to know:
"Garlic is a highly esteemed vegetable to many cultures around the world and for good reason. In fact, its use as a vegetable and as a medicine dates back to 5000 BC. Garlic certainly adds wonderful flavor to food, but it also has a positive effect on the immune system. It is rich in phytonutrients which are known for their antibiotic and antiviral properties. Garlic's medicinal benefit is most potent when used raw so consider adding it to salad dressings for this use. However, garlic still offers benefits when cooked so use it generously in stir frys, soups, and casseroles. Top crusty bread with roasted garlic instead of butter. Similarly, onions enjoy a long history with their cultivation dating back to 3200 BC. Clearly onions are the most universal seasoning used today. The flavonoids in onions actually work with vitamin C to help kill harmful bacteria. It's hard to find a savory recipe that doesn't use onions but consider making a soothing and delicious pot of onion soup or include onions with slow roasted winter vegetables." - Cooking Cache Online
I hope this short amount of information will help you and your family get through our current flu season. With busy work schedules and school schedules it is hard to keep track of meal planning, my best suggestion is to buy the suggested foods frozen if it will help you get through the shopping and preparation process of a meal.
Eat well. Live well.
You can find flu fighting recipes here at the Meals Matters website.
Be sure to provide your kids with healthy snacks everyday.
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