6 Flu-Fighting Foods You Should Eat this Season
Photo by Rex Pickar on Unsplash
With so many people coming down with the flu this time of year, we’re all trying everything we can to fight off the nasty virus. Of course, getting the flu shot is highly recommended, especially for the elderly, pregnant women, and anyone with compromised immune systems. However, certain foods can also help decrease your risk of coming down with the virus. Here are some major immune boosting foods to help you get through this time of year.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great fall food, and they’re packed with Vitamin A, which helps fight off free radicals that can wreak havoc on your immune system.
Yogurt
Yogurt is full of healthy, natural probiotics, which help maintain the balance of healthy bacteria in your gastrointestinal system and work to keep your immune system healthy and strong.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain a healthy serving of zinc, which strengthens your white blood cells and helps combat illness.
Tuna
Tuna fish is a great source of selenium, which helps protect cells from free-radical damage and boosts your natural immunity.
Green Tea
A hot cup of green tea can help soothe cold and flu symptoms when they’re already there, and green tea in any form has great antioxidant benefits that can help fight off illness.
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/09/29/6-foods-that-help-fight-flu/
Healthy Tips from our Scientific Director, Jerry Hickey, R. Ph
We are moving into the cold and flu season and the CDC is urging many of us to get this season’s flu vaccine. The reason for this is a higher mortality rate connected to cold weather and the flu. Yet most individuals do not realize that pneumonia is the big killer and that many deaths related to the flu actually occur because of a concomitant or secondary pneumonia infection.
Unfortunately in many recent seasons the best guess by experts has not always targeted the strains of influenza reaching our shores and spreading infection and although immunized, infection can still occur. The great news is that there is strong preventative action you can take to protect yourself from lung infection aka pneumonia – the real killer.
The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPV) stimulates resistance to 23 out of 80 pneumococcal bacteria; the vast majority of pneumonia infections are caused by the 23 serotypes contained in the vaccine. The vaccine is injected into the body to stimulate the normal immune system to produce antibodies that are directed against pneumococcal bacteria. All adults over the age of 65 are candidates for the injection and it is usually given around September but it is not too late. Usually one dose of PPV is all that is needed. Yet in some circumstances a second shot is recommended for those over 65 who had their first dose when they were under 65, if five or more years have passed since the first dose. For more information on PPV contact the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO or 1-800-232-4636.
What are your flu-fighting secrets? Let us know in the comments!
