Winter Health Tips: Add Onion And Garlic To Your Diet To Prevent Cough And Cold, Says Nmami Agarwal

None of us want to spend their days battling a runny nose, a nagging cough, or a fever. But, such ailments like colds and flu come with the season, right? Well, supporting your immunity isn't just about taking extra vitamin C. It surely pays to eat lots of fruit and vegetables that are packed with protective nutrients, but there are other foods you can eat and further actions you can in-corporate to give yourself the best chance of feeling fit and healthy, especially when flu season hits.

Understanding about foods and drinks which help relieve symptoms while they give your body the energy and nutrients it needs to fight the cold or flu can make it easier.

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Bolster your natural defences with these tips

1. Eat lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables: Vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash, beetroot, mango, melon, apricots etc. are rich in beta-carotene which our bodies convert to vitamin A. The vitamin A present helps to keep the mucosal linings in our nose and lungs robust enough to defend against infection.

2. Add onion and garlic to the diet:  Both onion and garlic have impressive health benefits. This family of vegetables contain potent oils that have an anti-microbial action, so they may help protect against bacterial and viral infections. Additionally, they also support good gut health as prebiotics by promoting the growth of healthy bacteria.

Also read: Top 7 Heart Healthy Vegetables You Should Be Eating: Broccoli, Spinach, Onions And More

3. Eat enough Vitamin C: Citrus fruits are plentiful in nature and contain superstrength vitamin C that has long been considered the ideal precaution against catching the common cold. The white blood cells in the body use up a lot of Vitamin C when fighting viruses and hence, it is essential that we replenish the body's supplies daily.

4. Get Vitamin D: Vitamin D is an important nutrient for overall health and studies have shown that people low in this vital vitamin are at a greater risk of infection. Thus, foods such as egg yolks, mushrooms, salmon, canned tuna, and beef liver should be consumed along with sunlight exposure to level up the Vitamin D levels.

5. Keep active: Engage yourself in some type of physical activity as much as possible to stay active. Moderate exercise can help to support the immune system because it stimulates the production of white blood cells the cells that defend us from illness.

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6. Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated always helps to maintain good health. It is an evergreen health tip that always work in favor. Being adequately hydrated will make one feel healthy, fight germs and infections and prevent the onset of illnesses.

Staying healthy is more than just practicing a few good techniques when you don't feel well. It calls for regular exercise, healthy foods, and staying hydrated throughout the day. The body works hard to keep you moving and active, so make sure to give it the food it needs to remain in proper shape.

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

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