Stuffy nose? Check. Scratchy throat? Check. Tickling throat and cough? Check and check. Sounds like the formula for a few days of misery while your body fights off a cold. Running to the kitchen can help ease your symptoms and help you feel better faster.
- Chicken soup. An oldie but a goodie! The salt in the broth is soothing to sore throats. The warmth can help break up mucous. The veggies are full of vitamins and minerals your body needs. What’s not to like?
- Whole grains. The zinc in whole grains helps your immune system keep running at peak performance. Skip the zinc lozenges and go for whole grain bread or pasta or brown rice.
- Sweet potatoes. Your body needs vitamin A to make the white blood cells that fight off infection. Sweet potatoes are chock full of beta-carotene, one form of vitamin A.
- Garlic. Freshly crushed garlic contains allicin — a compound that helps block the enzymes that cause infection in the body. Zap your cold with a tasty Caesar salad, garlicky pasta sauce, or salsa.
- Bananas. Your body needs vitamin B6 to fight infection, and bananas are a great source. Don’t like your bananas alone? Slice one up over a whole grain cereal for a double health boost.
- Cayenne pepper. Capsaicin in the spicy pepper helps thin mucus. I happen to love spicy foods when I’m sick — another great thing the pepper does is help fire the pain receptors in your sore throat, overwhelming the pain. Sprinkle some in your soup.
- Honey and lemon. The lemon gives you a quick bit of vitamin C; the honey coats and soothes. A teaspoon of honey and lemon together (with some pepper sprinkled on top) makes a quick and easy sore throat remedy.
- Lots and lots of liquids. Your body needs to stay hydrated to work at its best.