As cold and flu season comes around, we want to help you get a head start on prevention and treatment. While washing your hands and wearing a mask will always help to prevent sickness, there are other ways that you can help your body fight off and treat viruses through nutrient intake. In this blog post, we will cover some essential tips on how to prevent and treat a cold with the foods you eat.
#1: Increase your Vitamin D intake.
Research has shown that those with low vitamin D are more likely to suffer from an upper respiratory infection. These are the infections that cause symptoms like scratchy throat, cough, and a stuffy nose.
Foods rich with vitamin D: salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms, fortified milk, fortified soy milk, fortified cereal
#2: Probiotics
Those who supplement their diet with probiotics have been proven to experience less intense symptoms than those who do not. Not all bacteria is bad and our bodies need a healthy dose to support our immune system and digestion!
Foods with probiotics: yogurt, kombucha, supplements
#3: Get More Sleep
Research has shown that those who sleep 8 hours or more per day are three times less likely to get a cold than those who sleep 7 hours or less.
Foods that support good sleep: almonds, kiwi, chamomile tea, walnuts, fatty fish, lettuce
#4: Zinc
Zinc has been shown to decrease the growth of viruses and reduce the severity of symptoms in those who have been infected. This means that ensuring healthy levels of zinc is crucial in fighting illnesses.
Foods with high zinc levels: meat, shellfish, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans), seeds (hemp, flax, pumpkin), nuts (pine nuts, peanuts, cashews), whole grains (wheat, quinoa, rice, oats)
In terms of treating those nasty colds, prevention is the best medicine. Give yourself a head start on tackling those pesky coughs and runny noses.
JUICE BUDZ RECS: Zesty Tonic, Chocolate Thunder, Froot, Immunity Kit, Wellness Shots.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-foods-high-in-vitamin-d#The-bottom-line
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324295#lettuce
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-foods-high-in-zinc#The-Top-Benefits-of-Zinc
https://www.prevention.com/health/a20469206/how-to-prevent-a-cold/