It's finally happened, even though you've tried to prevent it: You've caught a cold. With more than 200 different cold viruses on the loose, it's virtually impossible to not get sick at least once each year. Yet with the strategies in the Take Care of Your Cold Diet, you can reduce the duration of a cold by about half and also decrease the annoying side effects, like stuffy nose and sore throat.
Here's how:
- Drinking water and other liquids will help loosen mucous secretions. Warm drinks in particular will increase your mucous flow, helping you to feel less stuffy. That's why this food plan includes lots of herbal tea and fruit juice.
- Fresh, whole foods raise your nutrient uptake. This meal plan includes fresh vegetables and fruits that can help your body heal faster.
- Chicken soup really can make you feel better! This diet encourages you to eat soup on a daily basis while you're sick.
- Experts recommend getting 500 mg or more of vitamin C per day to help reduce the duration of a cold. This plan includes foods and drinks high in vitamin C to attack your cold with full force.
Start eating the breakfasts, lunches and dinners that will help you conquer your cold quickly.
BREAKFAST
Option One :
- Scrambled eggs (or use egg substitutes if you're trying to reduce your cholesterol intake)
- Whole-grain toast spread with jam or jelly
- Orange juice
Option Two :
- Whole-grain toaster waffle topped with mixed berries and a touch of maple syrup
- Low-fat cottage cheese mixed with pineapple
- Grapefruit juice
Option Three :
- Oatmeal cooked with skim milk, topped with banana, berries and wheat germ
- Orange juice
LUNCH
Option One :
- Grandma's Chicken Stew
- Raw carrots and broccoli florets with low-fat dip
- 1/2 grapefruit
- Tomato juice
Option Two :
- Low-sodium canned chicken soup
- Red, green and yellow bell peppers with low-fat dip
- Clementine
- Fruit juice with added vitamin C
Option Three :
- Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup
- Spinach salad
- Mandarin orange sections
- Tomato juice
DINNER
Option One :
- Roast Slow Cooker Chicken
- Rice pilaf
- Mixed vegetables
- Applesauce with added vitamin C
Option Two :
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Low-Fat Mashed Potatoes
- Steamed broccoli
- Sliced fruit
Option Three :
- Frozen lasagna
- Tossed salad that includes spinach, kale or other dark leafy greens
- Vinaigrette dressing
- Mixed grapes, honeydew and kiwi
Healthy Dos and Don'ts Do
- Gargle with warm salt water several times each day to sooth sore throats
- Try a hot toddy made with hot water, honey and lemon to ease a cough
- Consider taking echinacea to boost your immune system at the first hint of illness. Make sure to consult with your physician before you take any herbal supplement and follow the label suggestions for best results
- Try sipping warm ginger tea throughout the day to relieve chest congestion. Grate 1-2 teaspoons of fresh ginger in a mug of just-boiled water, cover and steep 10-15 minutes. Strain and enjoy
- Consider using zinc gluconate lozenges or additional vitamin C to reduce the duration of a cold. Some studies using zinc gluconate lozenges containing 13-23 mg of zinc taken 6-8 times each day have shown a reduction in duration and severity of colds. (Be aware that some people experience nausea from this amount of zinc, and that lozenges should only be used for about a week at a time)
Don't
- Skip meals! Your body's energy and nutrient needs increase whenever you are sick or running a fever
- Eat lots of fast food. It can be difficult to cook healthy meals when you are sick and using prepared foods is fine. But make sure you choose packaged foods with the highest nutritional values and look for low levels of fat, sugar and sodium
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