Three Foods That Will Help Fight the Flu

Athena McKenzie | October 30th, 2013

Do natural health products and so-called superfoods actually help to boost immunity and reduce the severity of colds and flu?

Does it actually work? That’s the question when it comes to natural health products promising to boost immunity and reduce the duration and severity of colds and flu.

When it comes to ginseng, the answer seems to be yes.

Numerous studies on Cold-FX, which is derived from North American ginseng, have shown that it does engage the immune system by enhancing viral-fighting natural killer cells and macrophages, the body’s first line of defence. A clinical trial conducted in 2008 with CV Technologies Inc., the makers of Cold-FX, and several medical centres, including the division of geriatric medicine at the University of British Columbia, demonstrated that Cold-FX supplemented the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in seniors by about 30 per cent – a significant jump given that complications from flu and pneumonia are the fourth leading cause of death for the 65-plus.

Edible Flu Fighters

Incorporate these immune-boosting dynamos from Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet by Tonia Reinhard into your dietary portfolio.

• Elderberry’s high content of anthocyanin,a powerful antioxidant and flavonoid, has made it a proposed treatment for the flu. Drink the juice or use the cooked fruit as a topping.

• Yogurt with live cultures contain healthy bacteria that keep the digestive tract free of disease-causing germs. Look for low-fat or skim milk varieties and make sure it has live cultures.

• Mushrooms contain lectins, which have been shown in clinical trials to have antiviral properties. Optimize the abundance of phytochemicals and nutrients found in the fungi by serving
as a main dish.

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