Can You Fight the Flu with Food?

Borrowed from RealAge Tip By Mehmet C. Oz, MD, and Michael F. Roizen, MD
It must be flu season now. Starting in the fall & ending in the spring, some 5% to 20% of us or more will be struck by the flu.  It makes sense to do everything possible to prevent the flu from hitting you. That means keeping your hands clean, exercising daily, getting enough sleep, controlling stress by meditating or calling friends, & eating right. Although there's no single superfood that can protect you from the flu, not even chicken soup, focusing on your diet can help. Eating healthy foods can deliver the many nutrients you need in order to fortify your immune system against attacks of many types. Follow these tips:
1. Vitamin A keeps the lining of your nasal & respiratory passages in good shape so they can defend against invaders. It's so important for fighting infection that even a small deficiency boosts your risk of respiratory ills. However, too much vitamin A in supplement form can cause birth defects & raise the odds of osteoporosis in older people. We recommend a food-first strategy. Fortunately, loads of A-rich foods are in season. Get yours from bright orange & dark green veggies like sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, spinach, kale, & collard greens. 2. Power up with protein. Protein doesn't just help build strong muscles; it also provides the raw materials your body needs to manufacture disease-busting antibodies. And more antibodies means less infection. You only need about a quarter of a gram for every pound you weigh. Many protein-heavy foods have inflammation-encouraging saturated fat. So steer clear of steak, dark-meat poultry, and full-fat cheese. Instead eat with low-fat dairy, skinless white-meat chicken, ground turkey breast, tofu, fish, nuts, and beans. 3. You've heard vitamin C can help you get over a cold. It may, also, protect your lungs from flu damage. By helping your body put out protective immune cells known as chemokines & cytokines. These supreme defenders tell your body that it's infection-fighting time. So, drink your OJ, plus other immunity-enhancing flavonoids, including strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and kiwifruits.
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4. Vitamin D3 strengthens your immune system's capabilities, but 80% to 90% of us who live outside the Sunbelt come up short on this vitamin in winter. So select D3 off the shelf, and get 1,000 international units (IU) a day. Take it with a little fat so it will be absorbed. Choose friendly fats like: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, olive oil, and avocados. They help you absorb vitamins A & D. Plus, they decrease inflammation.
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5. Manage body fat. Eating more than you need can weaken your resistance. The skinny from University of North Carolina researchers is that too much body fat suppresses your personal army of inflammation fighters, compounds with names like tumor necrosis factor-alpha & interleukin-6. When the Carolina scientists looked at the flu's effects on thin mice versus chubby ones, they saw that the fatter ones were less likely to survive the flu & more likely to suffer complications.
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