Page 13 - Oundle Life February 2025

WINTER SNIFFLES
Healthy eating helps
It feels like everyone is fighting a cold or flu at the moment and a question
I often hear is, “What should I eat to cure it?” The truth is, by the time you’re feeling unwell, there’s no magic food that will make it disappear overnight. The best remedies at that stage are rest and hydration. However, there is some evidence that vitamin-C-rich foods can help shorten the duration of symptoms. Even better, supporting your immunity all the time with a healthy diet can hugely help to prevent catching colds and flu in the first place.
Since both colds and flu trigger inflammation in the body, incorporating anti-inflammatory foods into your diet can help ease discomfort and support recovery. So, what should you be eating? A generally healthy diet, particularly Mediterranean-style, is a great basis for good health, but colourful vegetables and fruits are even more advantageous.
Let’s look at some seasonal UK veg:
Garlic, onions, and leeks
These tasty vegetables
contain allicin, a
sulphur compound with
antimicrobial and immune-
supportive properties.
Research shows that it
stimulates the production of immune cells like macrophages and lymphocytes, helping the body fend off infections. Allicin also has antioxidant effects, protecting cells from damage caused by pathogens/bugs.
Carrots
Rich in beta-carotene, which
converts to vitamin A in
the body, carrots support
the health of your mucous
membranes, including those
lining the respiratory tract.
Vitamin A is crucial for maintaining the integrity of these barriers, which act as the body’s first line of defence against invaders.
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