Colds and Flu

5 Foods to Fight Colds and Flu

One of protein's many jobs is pumping up your ability to make disease-busting antibodies. Just steer clear of fatty red meats and full-fat dairy foods (they promote heart-hazardous inflammation). Pick up healthy-fat, high-protein foods, such as nonfat dairy, skinless white-meat chicken, ground turkey breast, tofu, fish, nuts, and beans.

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Load up on colorful eats.

Oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, kiwifruit ... all are loaded with vitamin C and flavonoids, which help your body churn out protective immune cells.

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Stock up on this superfood.

A brilliant prescription for revving up your immunity? An apple a day. Studies have shown that pectin, a special kind of fiber found in apples, may help boost levels of immune-supportive proteins. So crunching an apple a day could very well help keep the doctor away this cold season.

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Sip hot tea

People who drink 5 cups (about 3 mugs) of black tea daily produce 10 times more virus-fighting interferon than coffee drinkers.

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Eat 100% whole-grain cereals.

Oatmeal, shredded wheat and other whole-grain cereals deliver three nutrients proved to enhance immunity: selenium, zinc and beta glucan.

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Spice up your chicken soup.

If you catch something anyway, chicken soup shortens its duration by 50%. One theory about why: Cooked chicken releases cysteine, an amino acid that's chemically similar to acetylcysteine, a bronchitis drug. Up the soup's knockout punch to cold and flu bugs by tossing in infection-fighting garlic and hot red pepper, which contains capsaicin, a powerful decongestant.