Flu season is coming. And there is a likelihood of a tridemic this year with flu, RSV and covid-19 cases rise. In the eventuality that you fall prey to it, what foods you should keep in stock to decrease the onslaught of these viruses on your body?
Tridemic 2022
Winter always brings with it a lot of viral infections. Colds and flus are common. But doctors have warned of tridemic 2022. This implies that this year, there are high chances of getting a large number of cases of three viral I namely, flu or influenza, respiratory syncytial virus or RSV and covid-19. Covid is still not over and is likely to continue with surges during the winter season.
Fruits and vegetables (Source: Harvard Health)Prevention is better than cure. CDC advises people to have a healthy and balanced diet with exercise and vitamins. Further, they advise hard drinkers to cut down on their alcohol consumption and ensure an adequate and restful sleep. All this boosts immunity and can ward off infections. But in the unlucky case when you do get infected despite precautions, it is advisable to always have certain foods in stock at home so that you can lessen the viral attack severity. Which are these beneficial foods for the body at this time?
Colorful foods and vegetables
These colored fresh produce can help you in speedy recovery. They assist in early bounce back to health. The phytochemicals in them are good for it. Amy Goodson, dietitian says:
“Antioxidants like flavonoids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids help fight the free radicals (aka the bad guys) that can potentially cause damage to your cells and compromise your immune systems,”
She is member of the Expert board of Eat this website and also an author. And she adds:
“And thankfully, these nutrients are found in all of your colorful produce.”
Amy continues:
“Flavonoids are found in foods like berries, kale, cabbage, and even dark chocolate, anthocyanins are found in berries, grapes, pomegranates, and medjool dates, and carotenoids are found in orange, yellow and red produce like summer squash, pumpkin, mango, and apricots,”
Vitamin C rich foods and supplements
Zinc rich foods (Source: Wellcurve)Amy explains on this:
“Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant that can help keep your immune system strong against disease and illness,”
She adds:
“While you might only think of oranges and orange juice, you can also get vitamin C from tomatoes and tomato juice, red bell peppers, other citrus fruits like strawberries, and green vegetables like spinach and green beans,”
Lean beef
For meat eaters, having lean beef at home is advantageous. For this, Amy says:
“Zinc is a mineral that helps maintain a strong immune system, and beef is considered an excellent source of zinc, providing almost half of what you need in a day,”
And for vegetarians, they can have nuts, legumes, seeds, milk, and dark chocolate for the zinc boost.
Probiotics
Greek yoghurt is good for illness. Dietitian Toby Amidor says:
“I stock up on large tubs of Greek yogurt because it’s a natural source of immune-boosting nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc,”
“Greek yogurt also provides live, active cultures that act as ‘good’ bacteria in the gut and help protect the digestive tract.”
Read here: Long Covid symptoms: Foods and drinks to counteract them!
Probiotics (Source: Nature made)Green tea
Sipping on warm green tea can heal you from within and prepare you for this tridemic. Amy elaborates:
“I always have green tea bags in my pantry because green tea contains polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants shown to help fight disease,”
“Polyphenols tend to activate signaling of different pathways in the immune system when a foreign invader is present to help the body respond in whatever way is necessary to help fight it.”