How to stay flu-free during the cold winter months
The cold winter months are closing in. Yay to the approaching festive season, but nay to the flus and colds that this time always brings with it. Here is the solution, so you won’t have to sneeze and cough through X-mas dinner. You might have guessed: fruit!
1. Prevention is better than cure
While eating fruit while you are ill is good for you, eating fruit to prevent getting ill in the first place is even better! Fruits contain vitamins that help strengthen your immune system, so they are more effective as a method to prevent illness than as medicine. If you have a fruit snack every day, the flu won’t stand a chance! If you’re already ill, make sure to eat fruit that contains a lot of vitamin C, as this vitamin plays a major role in reinforcing the immune system and inhibiting inflammation in your body. The antioxidants in vitamin C also fight harmful substances in the body, such as free radicals. Why not have an orange, a kiwi or a tangerine? They are chock-full of vitamin C!
2. Bless you!
So, vitamin C is a major DO! But did you know that vitamin D is even more important in preventing flu and cold? A vitamin D deficiency can make you more susceptible to illnesses, exactly what we’re trying to avoid. You can get vitamin D into your system by making sure that your skin sees some sunshine. During the winter season, though, sunshine can be hard to find, so you’ll have to find another source of these vitamin. Again, oranges are a great choice, because they’re very rich in vitamin D. Squeezing an orange every now and again will put the brakes on any cold.
3. Active substances
As well as being a source of minerals and dietary fibre, fruit also contains its fair share of water. We all know that drinking plenty of water (approximately 1.5 litres per day) will keep your immune system in tip-top shape. According to a study by the University of Nebraska, it helps you prevent dehydration, another important factor in stopping the cold and flu virus. A single apple contains about 84.3 grammes of water. Besides being a thirst quencher, an apple a day is a must to keep your body hydrated. Fruits also contain other anti-flu substances, such as so-called “bio-active salvestrols”. As shown by British research, they originate in the plant that the fruit comes from and help arm your body against various viruses and bacteria. Bring on the red grapes, raspberries and blackcurrants, as these fruits are packed with salvestrols. Make sure you drink plenty of water as well, and you’ll be fully flu-proof.
Let it be clear: fruit keeps your immune system up and running. If you don’t always have a bowl of fruit ready at home, it’s good to have some handy at the office. Why not order a fruit basket for the office yourself, or ask your employer to do so? This will allow you to fight off flu season and keep you fully fit, ready to tuck into Christmas dinner.
Extra sources:
- https://rubriek.nl/gezond/voeding-met-de-meeste-vitamine-c
- http://www.voedingscentrum.nl/encyclopedie/fruit.aspx
- https://www.voedingswaardetabel.nl/voedingswaarde/voedingsmiddel/?id=69
- https://www.dokterdokter.nl/gezond-leven/eten-drinken/vitamine-d-tekort-en-bijbehorende-symptomen/
- http://www.salvestrolnaturalproducts.com/page5.html
- https://water.unl.edu/category/drinking-water
