Originally published September 27 2005
Nutrition tips to help get you through cold season
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Tips for boosting the immune system and fighting the common cold include: Eat at least two cups of fruit and two cups of dark green or orange vegetables a day, crush some fresh garlic into your food, take a multivitamin regularly, wash your hands frequently and eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods.
It's that time of year, dear, when more than 200 viruses hit their peak and make you feel miserable...
� Eat (a word that means "put into your mouth, chew and swallow") at least 2 cups of fresh fruit each day.
Your blood will soon be streaming with nutrients such as vitamin C to fight that nasty cold.
Vitamin C also inactivates histamine, the substance responsible for your runny nose and congestion.
� Eat (see previous definition) at least 2 cups of something green or red or bright orange (M&Ms don't count) for lunch or dinner.
Brightly colored greens and other vegetables contain large doses of immune-enhancing substances that fight off disease.
� Take a daily multivitamin with 100 percent of the daily value (DV) for the major vitamins and minerals listed on the label.
Supplements can't take the place of a good diet, but they can fill in the gaps on those days when you choose deep-fried mozzarella sticks over vegetables.
� Add nutrient-rich foods to your diet -- foods that give you a nutritional bang for a smidgen of calories.
One cup is just 7 calories and is loaded with vitamin A from beta carotene -- a potent antioxidant that protects your precious cells from infections.
� Practice eating a wide variety of foods.
According to the American Dietetic Association, this is the best strategy to keep you healthy for life.
Foods such as lean meats, chicken, fish, tofu, eggs and dairy foods release protein into your blood to reinforce your body's disease-fighting front line.
Zinc -- a mineral found abundantly in lean meat -- works with protein to strengthen your immune system as well.
� Eat two cups of non-fat yogurt -- it contains "good" bacteria that battle the growth of harmful germs in your intestinal tract -- and call your mother in the morning.
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