The Top Flu Fighting Foods

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Top Flu Fighting Foods

By Falkenstein | 03/11/2004

It's that time again! Flu season is starting, and with all the news

of Americans heading north for their flu shots due to shortages in

the U.S., this nasty virus is on everyone's mind.

Flu season in Canada generally runs between November and May. But,

both this year and last year, flu season has gotten a jump-start.

According to Health Canada's FluWatch report which does a weekly

report during flu season of flu activity countrywide, right now

localised activity is being reported in Alberta, while sporadic

activity is being reported in Ontario, Saskatchewan and British

Columbia. As it stands, the rest of the country is currently not

reporting any flu activity.

If last year's flu season is any indication of what Canadian's are

in for this year, people better start portecting themsleves now. For

the first full week of 2004, Health Canada reported continued

widespread flu activity in Newfoundland, Quebec and Ontario, with

localised outbreaks in parts of the Atlantic Provinces and central

Manitoba. For the same period in 2003, only localised flu cases were

reported in Quebec and central and southwest Ontario, with no

widespread activity anywhere in the country.

There's good news and bad. The flu vaccination does offer protection

against many of the flu strains in circulation, and even if you do

get a different strain of the flu, the severity of your infection

will be weakened by the flu shot. However, even if you've had a flu

shot, you may still get the flu. The flu viruses used to make the

vaccine are chosen in anticipation of which strains are expected

each year, and may not always be accurate.

Two questions remain: What should you do if you get the flu, and how

can you protect yourself against the flu?

There are two key factors to remember in both cases: get plenty of

rest and drink fluids, says Dr. Ivan Rohan, a Montreal physician at

St. 's Hospital Family Medicine Centre and assistant professor

of family medicine at McGill University.

If you do wake up one morning suffering from flu-like symptoms, " Try

to stay hydrated. " Dr. Rohan Suggests. " Consume small amounts more

often so your stomach doesn't get upset. " And water is best for

hydration, he adds.

And just because you feel miserable, doesn't mean you have to give

up on your plan. Many of the foods that help people heal are

healthier. For example, Rohan recommends bouillon or other light,

clear broths. " Research shows that chicken soup helps liquefy nasal

secretions better than water or tea, " he says. Eating something

sweet for energy is another important part of the healing process,

Rohan adds. Tea with honey, a natural alternative to cola, fits the

bill. (Caution: diet sodas offer a sweet flavour but no energy.)

People with the flu often lose their appetites, but need to keep

their electrolytes raised. Predy suggests drinking a sports beverage

if your stomach gets upset while practitioners of alternative

medicine suggest making tea from freshly grated ginger root to

settle your stomach.

If you and your family have been lucky enough so far to avoid the

flu, there are ways to keep from becoming another statistic at

Health Canada. Experts suggest flu immunisation. Aleina Tweed, a

surveillance epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control in

British Columbia, notes that frequent hand washing is critical. " It

can reduce 50 to 80 percent of common infections, like the flu,

colds and stomach bugs, " she says.

Getting plenty of rest and drinking enough fluids have both been

shown to increase immunity, while overly strenuous exercise, like

running a marathon, temporarily decreases your immune

system. " Moderate exercise is no problem, " Rohan says, adding that

it can actually boost your ability to fight off the flu virus. But

if you're already feeling sick, take it easy—no amount of exercise

is good for you.

Eating foods high in antioxidants helps boost immunity and speed the

production of white blood cells, which fight infection. When

choosing fruits and vegetables, the general rule is that the more

colourful they are, the more antioxidants they contain. Items in

this category include spinach, carrots, squash, blueberries,

cranberries, kale and sweet potatoes. Try steaming your spinach and

kale and baking your sweet potatoes and squash, rather than frying

them or sautéing them in butter. You'll also get to enjoy the

natural flavour of these tasty foods!

Alternative medicine says you can also build immunity by eating

garlic and onions, taking Vitamins C and E, and eating foods rich in

zinc, like meat, chicken, peanuts and peanut butter. Cheese and

other dairy products contain a substance that has been shown to

boost immunity in animals. The active cultures in yogurt may also

increase immunity. Although the jury's still out on the health

affects of many these nourishing foods, including them as a part of

your diet can't hurt.

Another natural remedy that has shown promising results in clinical

trials, Predy notes, is ginseng. " It appears to offer some degree of

protection against influenza and other viral infections, " he says.

Even if you use food to fight off the flu, it's still important to

take a multivitamin, as health experts suggest. This way, you can be

sure your body gets any vitamins and minerals you might be missing

in your diet, and correct any depletion you experience from illness.

Eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep can both help you

combat the flu, or prevent yourself from suffering its miserable

fate. Either way – you can take your health into your own hands.