Eat, Drink, Be Merry – and Fight Colds Naturally!

By Oana Harrison

All pumped-up to get in shape this year but a cold puts a damper on your plans? Fight back… naturally! Harvest some extra powers for your immune system from fungi, herbs, and spices.

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New year, healthier you – that’s always the focus in the months following the winter holidays. You are all pumped up about getting in shape, Santa brought you some snazzy work-out gear…and then a cold puts a damper on your ambitious plans. Don’t let that happen this year: eat, drink, be merry – and be the first to give colds a cold shoulder.

There are hundreds of viruses that can cause a cold or the flu and most modern medicine treats the symptoms, rather than the cause of these illnesses. Furthermore, some medicines may actually interfere with our body’s natural healing process. Taking too many antibiotics and over-sterilizing our environment may actually lower our body’s ability to build resistance to viruses. So, switch to natural remedies that will build up your immune system, fight viruses, and minimize the length and impact of a cold or flu this winter.

Eat

To maintain a healthy immune system, your body needs a range of nutrients, the most important being zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folate and vitamins A, C, E and B-6. And don’t forget about vitamin D, which helps with vitamin C absorption. Natural vitamin D is the best and it’s easiest to get from sun light, which might be hard to do during winter months. Your other option is to consume cod liver oil – which doesn’t sound so tasty – or the more palatable egg yokes, salmon, mackerel, and mushrooms.

Mushrooms, actually, have long been used in Asian cultures to help prevent colds. Cremini mushrooms, for example, contain a significant amount of antioxidants, which can help your immune system fight off diseases. These button-shaped mushrooms support white blood cell balance in the body, and positively impact the immune system by providing phytonutrients, including beta-glucans. Beta-glucans fight viruses at cellular level, thus giving your immune system a helping hand. So, when you feel a cold coming on, go for a cup a day of cremini mushrooms.

Another beneficial mushroom, though lesser-known in Western cultures, is reishi, a staple in Chinese herbal medicine for at least 4,000 years. Frequently referred to as the “herb of immortality,” the reishi mushroom is known for its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, and anti-carcinogenic powers. Depending on how miserable of a cold you get, sometimes even “the herb of immortality” isn’t enough. So add on some maitake mushrooms to the mix. You heard that chicken soup is good for fighting colds – well, so are “hens of the woods”, which is what maitake mushrooms are commonly called. These mushrooms resemble the tail feathers of a nesting hen and they’ve been shaking many-a-cold away. Their reputation precedes them, as Eastern cultures acknowledged them to provide the greatest immune-boost of all mushrooms.

While an optimal intake of vitamins C and D is important for the immune system, so is zinc. Found predominantly in red meat and seafood, zinc plays a crucial role in the development of white blood cells, which help fight infections. The recommended daily amount of zinc for adults is 11 milligrams. A typical one-ounce oyster will contain about 8-9 milligrams of zinc. In addition to oysters, other shellfish tend to be rich in this mineral, as are many other meats. So, go for the comfort and immune system boosting powers of an oyster and clam chowder or for a half-palm size of lean red meat.

Next, spice things up a little, and start cooking with fun and colorful ingredients such as turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cloves, cayenne, cinnamon, black pepper, or curry. There is so much virus-fighting power in just a little pinch of each of these ingredients and they give your food a big taste jump. So, why not add a teaspoon to your stir-fries or soups?

Traditionally known as “Indian saffron”, turmeric has long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine. Turmeric contains curcumin, the polyphenol identified as its primary active component and which exhibits over 150 potentially therapeutic activities, including high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Adding black pepper to turmeric significantly increases the body’s ability to absorb turmeric’s healing substances. Cardamom is rich in anti-oxidant compounds and vitamins, including vitamin-C, while cumin seeds are an excellent source of iron (2 tsp deliver 15% of the daily needed intake). Adding cloves to your dishes might reduce inflammatory symptoms by 15-30%. Cayenne, as well as ginger can raise the body temperature, as they stimulate blood flow. Their sweat-inducing effects can actually reduce fevers and relieve sinus congestion. A powerful anti-inflammatory, ginger can also act as an expectorant, relieving sinus pressure. Cinnamon has a wonderful aroma and it has powerful anti-microbial properties. In addition, cinnamon is kept in high regard in traditional Chinese medicine for its warming qualities, providing relief for colds or the flu, especially when mixed in a tea with fresh ginger.

A little green goes a long way and herbs such as oregano, parsley, thyme, peppermint, and tarragon are both tasty and healthy. Nutrient-dense oregano delivers 14% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin K, along with anti-bacterial volatile oils. Parsley might look unassuming, but this little green herb delivers a giant amount of the daily needed vitamin C (54%) and vitamin K (554%) in only half a cup. Thyme contains volatile oils, with thymol being the most potent in fighting infections caused by bacteria. Peppermint makes for a great-tasting tea and it has great anti-oxidant properties. The main substance in Peppermint, rosmarinic acid blocks the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals, and it keeps the airways open for easy breathing. Tarragon is a very rich source of A, B, and C vitamins that function as antioxidants and boost metabolism.

 

Drink

 

Mulled wine was a staple of Roman winter medicinal drinks. Infused with herbs and enhanced by spices, wine was used to preserve and administer herbal medicines, making the not-so-tasty remedies go down easier. Irish Hot Toddies are known to kill a few germs and don’t taste too bad either. However, alcohol is still not the best medicinal choice, and it’s not calorie-free either. Go for hot cocoa or, even better, hot tea.

Cocoa – provided that it’s not loaded with sugar – is good for your heart, lowering cholesterol and it also boosts your mood, releasing the make-happy serotonin and dopamine in the brain. Green and black teas are the caffeinated varieties that give you energy, boost your immune system, keep your heart healthy, and help prevent cancer. These teas are high in flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, including sore throat swelling and soreness. Herbal teas – or actually infusions of leaves, seeds, roots or bark – provide not only warm comfort but can also help with a variety of illnesses. The hot water preserves the plants’ medicinal benefits and the healing agents are easily assimilated inside the body.

Some of the lesser-known medicinal drinks that fight colds are rosehip tea, kombucha tea, and kefir. Rosehips are the fruit of the rose plants and contain a number of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and lycopene. Kombucha tea is a fermented tea that contains billions of friendly probiotics that help strengthen your immune system by providing a first level of defense against pathogens you might ingest. This is pretty important, given the fact that 70% of our immune system depends on our gut flora. Kefir is a fermented dairy drink that is an even better source of probiotics than Kombucha tea. If you are lactose-intolerant, this is a great choice for you, as kefir is generally 99 percent lactose free.

Be Merry

There is plenty of scientific proof that the power of the mind can influence your body’s health. When we are stressed and tired, our immune system is vulnerable and the evil little germs floating around can’t wait to latch on to us. So put up a fight! With the holidays out of the way, take time to get back into a healthy routine and be sure to schedule some “me” time every day.

Work and everyday life can get hectic and stressful. We try to cram more into our days and end up feeling burned out. If that sounds familiar, read on. Remember that no one benefits if you work yourself into being sick. Get enough sleep and make an effort to relax – it sounds paradoxical but most of us have a hard time justifying taking time to do nothing. If it makes you feel better, call it “meditating,” and just take some time to breathe.

Winter months around east Tennessee can turn things different shades of grey. That doesn’t help enhance anyone’s mood. So bring some sunshine inside using brightly-colored décor, and fight the urge to hibernate. Instead, dress up, go outside, and socialize. Of course, try to be around healthy and positive people and laugh – in the face of colds! Contrary to popular belief, being outside in the cold doesn’t give you one. Colds are brought on by viruses you catch most likely indoors from other contaminated people. Light exercise outdoors can be very good for you, revitalizing your sinuses, and getting your blood going. Of course, if you have the chance, get out of town and travel to warmer climates. Either way, stay positive, keep moving, eat well, and be well!

 

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Recipes

Quick Cold Fixes

• Sore Throat: mix ½ tablespoon of honey into a cup of warm milk
• Fever and Muscle Pain: add ½ tablespoon of turmeric powder to one cup of milk and boil
• Colds: shred a 2-3 inch piece of ginger, squeeze out the excess water in a cup; add 1 tablespoon of honey to the liquid and drink it
• Cough: mix 1/2 tablespoon honey with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon into a paste-like form and eat a pinch of it, once a day
• Colds and Coughs: drink a cup of ginger black tea with spices: in 1 cup water boil together for 2-3 minutes 1 pinch of shredded ginger, 2 cardamoms, 2 cloves, and a pinch of cinnamon (optional); add 1/2 tablespoon of ginger black tea and let it steep for a couple of minutes

Curtesy of Kamal, Sitar Indian Cuisine

 

Cold-Fighting Chicken Marinade

1 cup of sour cream

1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of garam masala

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Marinate 4 chicken breasts or 6 legs for 3-4 hours. Bake in a clay pot or roast in a pan on stove-top.

Curtesy of Kamal, Sitar Indian Cuisine

Golden Milk

For one serving you will need:

1 cup milk (cow’s milk, almond milk or coconut milk beverage)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

3/4- 1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (or a few cardamom pods)

A pinch of powdered ginger or small piece of peeled ginger root (optional)

A dash of vanilla extract
 dash of black pepper or black peppercorns (if desired)

A pinch of cloves (if desired)

A pinch of allspice (if desired)

A strainer or sieve

1) Heat the milk on the stove. When milk becomes warm, add turmeric powder. Stir slowly to dissolve any lumps. The liquid will take on a rich, mustard color.

2) Add the honey, ginger root, vanilla, and spices.

3) Keep the pot on gentle heat for a few minutes.

4) Pour the milk through a fine sieve to remove the ginger root, cardamom and pepper. (The turmeric can be a bit grainy, too.)

5) All ingredients can be adjusted for individual tastes! Enjoy!

Curtesy of Sarah Fields, Be Well Knoxville