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Nutrition:
The 10 Best Foods to
Avoid the Flu
What else can you do to ward off
this year's colds and flu bugs?
Nowadays, everyone is running scared of
swine flu. The topic is all over the media,
headline after headline. Should you or
should you not get vaccinated? Should you
still get the seasonal vaccine, the one you
get every year? Clearly this is all up to
you and your physician.
But is there anything else you can do to
prevent being laid up in bed sniffling and
coughing? The answer: Build up your immune
system the good old-fashioned way by eating
super healthy. Bolstering your immune system
may not guarantee a clean bill of health,
but it will increase your odds for staying
healthy.
And before we discuss the 10 best foods to
help you do that, we wanted to state the
obvious: Get at least eight hours of sleep a
night, drink plenty of water, and continue
to work out. Yes, your mother was right. You
need to practice this basic level of self
care to give your body a fighting chance.
And wash your hands with soap and
water for 15 to 20 seconds whenever you
shake hands, touch computers and phones of
others, and prepare food.
Of course it is important to maintain a
healthy, balanced diet of whole grains,
nuts, lean proteins, and fresh fruits and
vegetables. This is obvious too, but you can
err toward choosing more of the foods listed
below to super charge your body's ability to
fight off disease. Another resource is our
anti-aging article on super foods, which
are loaded with anti-oxidants. Also, studies
show that highly restrictive diets erode the
immune system, so consider this another
reason not to jump on the latest fad
diet.
Print this article out the next time you
shop and fill your cart with these immune
boosters.
1. Sources
of Vitamin C, A, D, E, and Others
Vitamin C: Goji berry, black currants,
blackberries, bell peppers, broccoli,
carrots, cabbage, oranges, grapefruit,
lemons, limes, kiwis, guava, strawberries,
tomatoes, and papaya.
Vitamin A: Cayenne pepper, carrots, eggs,
pumpkin, and turkey.
Vitamin D: Dark green leafy vegetables like
kale, spinach, seaweed, and algae.
Vitamin E: Almonds, whole grains, hazelnuts,
oats and egg yolks.
Flavonoid: Apples, broccoli, tea, and red
onions.
Selenium: Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, and
turkey.
Zinc: Chicken, pork, crab, cheese,
shellfish, peanuts, oysters, baked beans,
and pumpkin
seeds.
2. Garlic
Eat garlic raw or lightly cooked. Onions,
shallots, and chives are also part of the
garlic family and contain vitamin C as well.
3. Yogurt
with active cultures
Try low or non-fat yogurt with the "live
active cultures" label.
4. Green
tea
Caffeine and decaffeinated versions are
available. There are also flavored green
teas like mint and citrus, if you don't like
the taste of green tea alone.
5.
Elderberry
Elderberries are loaded with anti-oxidants
and anti-viral compounds, but
do not eat them raw as they are
mildly toxic in that state. Choose or make
elderberry baked goods, jams, and wine.
6. Water
This is important enough to mention again.
Drink plenty of
water to help your body flush out toxins
and fight viruses before they take hold.
7. Chicken
soup
Studies show that chicken soup has mild
anti-inflammatory properties.
8.
Mushrooms & Barley
Add white button, cremini, and portobello
mushrooms and/or barley to soups, stews, and
salads.
9. Ginger
Ginger helps to fight infection. Make ginger
tea with a fresh root and boiling water or
make a fresh ginger vinaigrette to add
flavor to vegetables.
10.
Complex carbohydrates
Sweet potatoes, whole grains, and beans.
These are powerful complex
carbs to fuel your body's defenses.
In general, choosing brightly colored fruits
and vegetables and loading up on the super
anti-oxidants will go a long well in
strengthening your body's defenses. They say
variety is the spice of life, but it will
also help you to insure that you are getting
the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Also
check with your medical professional about
adding supplements and
vitamins to your daily routine. Please
email us or call us toll free at
1.866.5.WE.COOK (1.866.593.2665), if you
have any questions. After all, we are only
one click away.
You can also visit our
archive page for past newsletter
nutrition articles.
The health
information provided here is for informational
purposes only and is not intended to substitute
for seeking professional medical care.
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The health
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Recipe: Garlic
Citrus Chicken
Deliciously fragrant comfort food.
Shore up your body's defenses with
this nourishing and simple recipe.
For a lower fat version, remove the
skin before eating.
Ingredients
1 (5
to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and
giblets discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 3
garlic cloves, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup fresh orange juice, no sugar added
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
Kitchen string or butcher twine
Preparations
1.
Position the rack in the center of the oven
and preheat to 400 degrees F.
2.
Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the cavity
with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with
the orange, lemon, and garlic halves. Tie
the chicken legs together with kitchen
string to help hold its shape. Sprinkle the
chicken with salt and pepper.
3.
Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Place
the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in
the pan. Roast the chicken for 1 hour,
basting occasionally and adding some chicken
broth to the pan, if necessary, to prevent
the pan drippings from burning.
4.
Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, oil,
oregano, and chopped garlic in a medium bowl
to blend. Brush some of the juice mixture
over the chicken, after it has baked 1 hour.
Continue roasting the chicken until an
instant-read meat thermometer inserted into
the innermost part of the thigh registers
170 degrees F, basting occasionally with the
juice mixture and adding broth to the pan,
about 45 minutes longer.
5.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Tent with
foil while making the sauce (do not clean
the pan).
6.
Place the same roasting pan over medium-low
heat. Whisk in any remaining broth and
simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup,
stirring often, about 3 minutes. Strain into
a 2-cup glass measuring cup and discard the
solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the
sauce. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.
Serves
6.
You can
also visit our
archive
page for
past newsletter recipes.
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5 squares™ healthy eating plan is a
weight management program
designed to help you manage your eating habits and achieve
personal weight and health goals. We take all of the
guesswork out of eating properly by eliminating the
opportunity to make wrong choices.
Our expert chefs prepare
guilt-free,
delicious food, which is delivered right to your door
before 6 a.m. Because you have your five meals for the day
(3 meals plus 2 snacks), you have the power to eat the right
foods, the right amount, and the best nutritional calories.
The 5 squares monthly e-newsletter is a great resource for
nutritional advice;
quick, healthy-lifestyle tips; recipes; resources and
special offers; and
5 squares promotions.
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Email us:
Info@5squares.com
Call us toll-free:
1.866.5.WE.COOK (1.866.593.2665)
Visit us:
www.5squares.com
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Greetings,
