Cold and cough is quite a common problem which disrupts normal work routine. How well protected are you against common cold depends on your immune system. In order to keep your immune system strong make nutritious food a part of your daily routine so that you are prepared to fight the battle of cold and cough whenever it strikes. Here are some dietary tips ……

  • Make sure you take a lot of vitamin C which prevents you from catching cold. Oranges, lemon, kiwi, berries, kinnu are rich in vitamin C. Amla is the richest source of vitamin C, it should be taken regularly in the form of juice, powder, candies or churan.
  • Garlic has great antioxidants and antiviral properties. Studies have suggested that it lowers the risk of viral infection by two third .So eat it raw or lightly cooked.
  • Fresh ginger root helps treating cough and cold .you can pour boiling water over freshly grated ginger and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes and then drink it hot or warm.
  • Caffeine dehydrates the body, as for treating cold it is important to stay hydrated. Try herbal or green tea, soups with pepper etc. Tulsi tea with ginger and black pepper soothes the sore throat. Tulsi is a very effective herb.
  • Hot chicken soup contains cysteine that helps thinning the mucous. Try this with pepper, garlic and onion to speed up the recovery process.
  • Honey has anti bacterial properties it appears to be a cough suppressant. You can try 1tsp of tulsi juice combined with 1 tsp of ginger and quarter tsp of honey to ease the symptoms.
  • Meat and shellfish are loaded with zinc, which is needed to develop white blood cells that fight invading bacteria and viruses. Vegetarians can get their supply from yoghurt, milk, whole grain and soy products.
  • Turmeric and cinnamon are considered immunity boosters and infection fighters. kachchi haldi mixed with pure desi ghee , extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil helps fight cold and cough . Boil one inch cinnamon in two cups of water. Half a cup of this water in the morning is a good antiviral drink.

Nutritious food works as a weapon to fight illness. What matters is doing simple healthy things correctly and making them a habit.