11 Foods that Helps fight Cold and Infections

 

When the weather is cold, you hear people come up with complaints of  cough, catarrh, sneezing, pains, sinus infection, arthritis and several other ailments.  It is important for us to adopt more natural ways to help reduce frequency of visits to hospitals and pharmacy.  Keeping yourself and family warm is as important as food and regular exercise.

Here are 11 proven foods that helps keep cold and infections under control during cold weather:

1.  Garlic:

The disease fighting properties in garlic is nolonger new.  Garlic is one of the most popular and potent spice proven to ward off cold, fight infections including drug resistant ones, reduce inflammations and pains,  kill off virus and reduce the duration of those affected.  Garlic is also easy to incorporate, could be used as spice in cooking or added to seasonings, could be mixed with honey for various home remedies including cough.  It is important to know that cough that resisted other treat or over the counter drugs have bowed to the power of garlic in killing off the bacteria.  I have always relied on garlic for most  home remedies of minor infections, such as tooth ache, sore throat, ear infections etc.  It is particularly helpful among the elderly and diabetics  in relieving some conditions where sugar control  and monitoring is required as well.  Adding garlic to your dishes is a great way to incorporate this medicinal spice to your family menu.  It can also be tak.en as tea in hot water during cold to ward off cold and keep the body warm.

2.  Ginger:

Ginger is another popular spice next to garlic for the fact that they are available and affordable.  It possesses anti inflammatory, anti fungal, anti bacterial properties like garlic.  It is another hot spice that you should ensure to keep in your kitchen during cold.  There are dried and fresh ginger roots as well in the open market.  Make ginger and honey tea to help keep warm.

3.  Tumeric

Another powerful anti inflammatory spice that you must have in your kitchen this season is fresh or dried tumeric root.  This medicinal spice belongs to the family of ginger.  It is great in keeping warm, warding off cold, killing bacteria, halting inflammations, killing pains, helping the liver heal, improve circulation and several other benefits.  It is a healthy idea to include tumeric and ginger root in your dishes this season as both work together.  Ginger helps full absorption of tumeric.  Making a hot tea with grated ginger and tumeric with honey is great in reducing inflammations and warding off cold.  Adding a little milk makes a more nutritious drink that fight insomnia as well.  Try also adding sorghum tea to increase the nutrients with no caffeine, you will love the combo.   It is my favorite these days.

4.  Cinnamon

Another supper spice for fighting cold, infections and inflammation is sweet cinnamon.  There are cinnamon sticks and powder but I prefer the cinnamon power which is easy to use.  Cinnamon helps with cold, weight loss, and killing off fungus  and other  bacteria that suppress our immune system.  Cinnamon and honey is a great way to get nutrients into the body without fats and oil that stresses the body to digest.  Making a honey with cinnamon past for use in teas and other breakfast ideas like cocoa or oats will help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes as it has positive effect on insulin release.  Ensure to have this healthy spice in your kitchen.  Additionally, adding to your meals helps bring out the natural taste without adding artificial taste enhancers and your food comes out tasty.

5. Cayenne Pepper:

Among several species of peppers in the market, cayenne pepper is the most popular and beneficial pepper for managing several ailments including the common cold.  Whether fresh or dried it is potent, but when ever possible always opt for the fresh version.  It improves circulation and helps improve sleep.  Keeps you warm, reduce inflammations and it is great for heart health, being that it contains nutrients that benefit the heart.  Add cayenne to help spice up your meals and strenghten your immune system.

6.  Black Pepper:

This is stronger in effect that cayenne,  so you must use it sparing because its hotness lasts longer than that of cayenne pepper.  Black pepper is also great for bowel movement and symptoms of malaria.  It is also a source of calcium and iron.  These are important minerals needed for a strong immune system.  Add black pepper to your meals, you grind the mix of cayenne and black pepper dried and use in your kitchen so as to get the benefit of both.  But remember that black pepper is much hotter and lingers with its heat long after you ingest it.  So make it fewer than cayenne

7.  Oranges

Oranges are packed with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps your body fight disease such as cold and similar infections.  Vitamin C is a necessary nutrient when you are feeling under the weather.  Vitamin C is helpful in preventing common cold.  It is a vitamin usually given to patients with common cold, but natural vitamin C in oranges and other citrus fruits are no doubt far more effective in delivering results when faced with common cold or frequent infections.

8.  Coffee

Yes, many are afraid of caffeine in coffee, but I have personally observed that occasional coffee is good for our overall immune system particular during cold weather as it boosts metabolism and helps your food digest faster and burns fat.  In doing these jobs it  helps the heart in reducing the load on it.
Black unsweetened coffee is very bitter and delivers its health benefits.  Making a hot cup of coffee, with honey or low fat milk will help ward off cold as well. Try adding cinnamon and honey paste to your coffee, you will love the taste.

9.  Green Tea

Green tea is popular due to its high antioxidant and antibacterial properties which helps reduce inflammations in the body and ward off cold.  Better to take your green tea in the morning or afternoon to avoid  affecting your sleep should you take it at night.  Though some few persons take it not minding.

10.  Eggs.

Eggs are great during cold weather as it is fat free and low in calorie too.  Due to its nutrient density, taking an egg,  boiled not fried along side your main dishes during cold is a smart way to add proteins and nutrients that will help your body fight disease and infections including cold.

11.  Peppermint Tea

Many are not familiar with the properties in mint tea to help keep cold and common infections that accompany away during such period.  It helps aid digestion and move bowel  as well.  Take it in the morning and see how warm you feel throughout the day.

Other foods that helps during cold include raw foods, vegetable including greens and others like cabbage,  yoghurt is preferred to milk if you get well fermented one.  More water, less solid, olive oil, onions, Bitter cocoa, Cloves, Hibiscus flower tea.   Coconut oil  and Olive oils are good oils to rely on during cold.  It important to bath with warm water and keep some drops of essential oils like lemon, rosemary, mint, parlsey, cloves and camomile around during the cold weather.