best foods to eat if you start feeling sick

Chocolate with a high cacao content (above about 70%) has finally been making it into the mainstream as of late. (Try to avoid the snackfood varieties which are pumped full of sugar and saturated fat.) Opting for a darker chocolate will fill your body with the powerful antioxidant polyphenol which boosts your immune system.

Betacarotene is the cause of orange flesh in foods like carrots and sweet potatoes. Its also what our bodies convert into vitamin A a critical nutrient for healthy mucous membranes like those in your nose and throat and for your system in general.

Fish rich in Omega3 fatty acids such as salmon and tuna reduce inflammation in your body. When various parts of the body such as the lymph nodes are inflamed, our immune systems dont work as well and thus we get sick easier and stay sick longer. (Fat otherwise are more difficult for the body to process so eat other fats sparingly while sick.)

Continuing on the seafood track, oysters may help cut down on the duration of a cold. This is due to their high zinc content the highest of any food which has been proven to reduce the common cold when taken as a supplement (though the supplements have some side effects as well). Make sure to cook the oysters as a compromised immune system wont be able to fight off potential bacteria in raw seafood.

A common food to eat during weight loss, oats also contain a special fibre named betaglucan. Betaglucan has been shown in some rat studies to prevent infection of our upper respiratory tract and prevent early, stressrelated death. A cholesterolfighter and immunebooster? Sounds like a winwin.

The small, licoriceflavoured seeds often appearing in central European sausages, fennel seeds are wonderful for your respiratory system as they can decongest you and reduce coughing. Crush the seeds to make a tea or roast the bulb and stalks which you can find in most megamarkets they add a nice zing to a mixed vegetable roast or soup.

One of proteins major roles in our bodies is helping antibody production and fighting infection. Though oily, greasy foods might make you feel better for an instant, think about having roast turkey or chicken next time you feel sick.

Benefitting you for some of the same reason as lean meats, the protein in beans, legumes, and nuts can help you get through sickness. Especially useful are Brasil nuts (just one meets your daily recommended amount of selenium, a cold and flufighter) and sunflower seeds (packed with vitamin E, they can improve lung function and protect your cell walls).

Yogurt with various kinds of healthy bacteria (such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum) are hitting the market strong and rightly so. With 10 trillion bacteria living in your intestines, its good to keep a high supply of the good variety when youre feeling sick, especially when experiencing things such as vomiting and diarrhea which can wipe out some of your supply.

No sicknessfighting list would be complete without chicken soup. The amino acid cysteine present in chicken thins mucus in your lungs and warm broth helps with the critical tasks of keeping you hydrated and keeping your nasal passages moist.