SARAH DI LORENZO: How chicken soup, garlic, honey & lemon stack up as best foods for cold & flu season

The seasonal change to winter is when many of us pick up a cold or flu more often. The air is colder and drier which can weaken our defences and viruses prefer cooler conditions for survival.

During winter, many of us are particularly deficient in Vitamin D which plays a crucial role in immunity. And then there’s all the time indoors, with closer contact with other people making transmission easier. Try to spend more time outdoors in the sunlight and enjoy Vitamin D rich foods like sun-dried mushrooms, eggs and fish and consider taking a supplement.

I always tell my patients when they are feeling unwell is that they are not sick — they are healing. These time-tested remedies that really can work to help on that healing journey.

Chicken soup

It would be fair to say that globally we all know chicken soup is amazing for when we feel sick and research can back this up. The reason is th chicken soup is packed with ingredients that support the immune system — carrots, celery, onions, garlic and the chicken itself. The hot broth can also help with hydration and release the mucus build-up associated with being sick. Chicken soup is so nutrient rich it contains zinc, protein Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and is great for gut health.

Garlic

It is also widely known for thousands of years that garlic is medicinal. Garlic contains allicin which is a compound released when we crush garlic. Garlic is antiviral and antimicrobial so can suppress viruses and bacteria. Plus research shows people supplementing with garlic and fewer colds than those that don’t. There is a trick to getting the most out of your garlic and it is to crush raw garlic and let sit for 10 minutes before adding to food to activate the allicin.

Ginger

Ginger is amazing! Ginger is soothing, can help with nausea and is soothing. Research shows ginger is anti-inflammatory and anti-viral plus may help stop viruses from replicating. Ginger can stimulate circulation, giving support to immune cells to make their way around the body more effectively. Ginger can help with coughing and give the throat some relief. Make some ginger tea or add it to to soups, stews, stir-fries and even smoothies.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is also widely known to support immunity, many people supplement and increase their intake of citrus to fight or prevent colds.

Unfortunately research shows Vitamin C won’t prevent you from getting sick, but it can reduce the severity and shorten the duration of a cold. The best source of Vitamin C is guava which can this can be tricky to source, so try one cup of strawberries to give yourself the recommended daily intake (RDI). Alternatively, one kiwifruit is 66 per cent of the RDI and one capsicum will give you 166 per cent! Other great sources are grapefruits, broccoli, oranges and lemons.

Gut health

Not many of us consider our gut health when we are sick but it is so important — 70 per cent of our immune system is located in our gut. Other than a healthy diet, make sure you are having lots of probiotic rich foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, tofu, yoghurt and kombucha. These foods all have live bacteria that can really help enhance the good bacteria in your gut. Probiotics and also help with possibly reducing duration and severity according to many meta-analyses.

Honey

As for honey, it is magic when you are sick to suppress coughing. Honey also has antimicrobial properties and can not only fight bacteria but it coats the throat and can stop irritation. Just a spoonful or even adding it to hot water with fresh lemon is amazing.

When we are sick the best course of action is to support your body’s healing journey. What you eat is so important but also remember to stay hydrated and rest to give your immune system the time it needs to get you better.