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Today's Article

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Dear ,

Flu season is here and if you want to stay healthy the natural way, here’s some good news. Nature's medicine cabinet provides a delicious and potent cornucopia of immune-boosting, flu-fighting foods.

And unlike the flu vaccine, which can cause a wide range of side effects (from narcolepsy and permanent neurological damage to the flu itself), the potent  flu fighters found in nature don't require a jab and are side-effect free!

Here are seven superfoods that will help you sail through flu season sniffle-free.

#1 - Garlic (and Onions Too!)

Potent members of the Allium family, garlic and onions have long been regarded as healing foods and recent research shows they can help fight the flu.

Garlic helps "stink out" the sickness with the help of allicin — a natural antimicrobial and antiviral compound. 

One study published in Advances in Therapy found that people taking a high potency allicin supplement daily had 64% fewer colds and recovered 70% faster than people not taking allicin.

Onions are also potent flu-fighters. Phytonutrient in onions called quercetin was found to negate the dip in immunity that comes with physical fatigue. And that "dip" is the window of opportunity for viruses and bacteria to take root and hold you hostage until they have run their course.

When it comes to garlic and onions, fresh is best. Add alliums to soups and stews at the end of cooking, or mix in to salads, dressings and sauces.

#2 - Mushrooms

You many not think of mushrooms as a flu-fighting superfood, but they are. In fact mushrooms possess two critical immune boosters you need this flu season: selenium and beta-glucan.

Selenium helps white blood cells produce cytokines — molecules that modulate the immune system and help clear sickness. What's more, a selenium deficiency has been found to reduce the body's immune response and also cause the influenza virus to mutate into stronger strains.

Beta glucan, an type of fiber with antimicrobial properties, helps activate "superhero" T-cells that seek and destroy invaders.

While most mushrooms provide immune-boosting benefits, maitake (hen of the woods), shiitake and crimini are the most powerful flu-fighting fungi in the culinary world. Reishi and cordyceps are also potent flu-fighters, but are typically consumed in supplement form.

Toss mushrooms into stir fries and soups or sauté and serve with grass-fed steaks to get a dose of the flu-fighting duo.

#3 - Ginger

Ginger has long been valued in traditional Chinese medicine to treat respiratory infections such as the cold and flu. Modern research helps explain why.

The flu virus enters the body through the upper respiratory tract, where it encounters immune cells called macrophages. These cells engulf and destroy invaders and release TNF-α - an anti-influenza compound that serves as the first line of defense against the flu virus in the body.

Ginger not only activates macrophages and boosts the production of TNF-α, but it was also found to reduce the viral load of influenza by 25% within eight hours.

Add ginger to fresh-pressed green juices, toss slices into soups or steep with tea for a delicious flu-fighting immune infusion.

#4 - Hot Peppers

Hot peppers act as a natural expectorant, opening clogged breathing passages, clearing sinuses and stimulating secretions - all of which help the body eliminate pathogens.

But that's not all. Hot peppers are also a great source of vitamin C — an antioxidant nutrient with antiviral properties that has been shown to reduce the incidence of pneumonia that comes with flu.

Keep cayenne pepper and organic hot sauce in your spice cabinet and use liberally on eggs, meats, poultry and fish or in soups, stews and sauces. Dice fresh hot peppers and fold into omelets or toss into veggie medleys.

#5 - Chicken Soup

Do you believe that eating soup to ward off cold and flu is just an old wives tale?

Well, think again. While hot liquids are known to improve the ability of cilia — the tiny hair-like parts of the nasal passages — to protect the body from bacteria and viruses, studies show that sipping chicken soup is even more effective than quaffing hot water alone.

The combination of warm broth, amino acids, minerals, and anti-inflammatory compounds in chicken soup helps reduce congestion and supports the body’s immune response.

To make a flu-fighting stew, add pasture-raised chicken backs and bones to a slow cooker and cover with filtered water. Cook on low for up to 24 hours to make to a nourishing bone broth (longer cooking yields a more mineral-rich broth). Strain. Return stock to pot, adding garlic, onions, ginger, mushrooms and cayenne for a high-potency flu-fighter.

Short on time? If you don’t have hours to simmer bones, you may want to try Paleovalley’s Grass Fed Bone Broth. It’s made from 100% grass-fed beef bones, traditionally simmered and pesticide-free, and comes in flavors like Turmeric Ginger, Salted Caramel, and Chocolate.

#6 - Green Tea

Sipping a cup of hot tea when you're under the weather is quite soothing. And if you choose green tea, you may speed up your recovery or, better yet, evade illness altogether.

That's because green tea is rich in nutrients called catechins that have powerful anti-viral activity against influenza. In fact, a clinical trial found that catechin supplements reduced the risk of flu by a whopping 75%!

What's more, studies conducted at the University of Shizuoka studied found that green tea had powerful flu-fighting effects — even in immune-weakened nursing home residents at high risk. In the study, the residents gargled with green tea three times a day. At the end of the study, those gargling with green tea had a significantly lower risk of flu and cold.

By gargling the tea (and not just drinking it), the subjects exposed the catechins longer to the viruses which can linger in the throat.

Enjoy green tea and boost its flu-fighting action by steeping with fresh ginger slices or adding a dash of cayenne to your cup. And don't forget to gargle!

#7 - Probiotic Foods: Raw Sauerkraut, Grass-Fed Kefir & More

While the benefits of probiotics for digestive health have been long-touted, recent evidence shows that these "good bacteria" may help fend off colds and flu too.

Surprised? Consider this fact: Up to 80% of our immune cells reside in our gut! By bolstering our friendly flora, we naturally enhance our immune defenses at the most fundamental level.

Leave the processed (and often chemical and sugar-laden) dairy products on the shelf and instead reach for raw lacto-fermented foods such as kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, and miso.

Hope this helps as you move through the season. Many of these foods are probably already part of your routine, but if not, they’re easy places to start. 

Did we miss any flu-season staples you swear by?

To your health,

Healing Gourmet