Colds are more common in winter, and people with weak resistance or poor rest are more susceptible. Increasing studies show that the simplest and side-effect-free method to fight colds is to eat more foods that can prevent them, such as garlic, onions, ginger, white radish, red and yellow fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and green tea.
Onion: Modern medicine believes that onions contain allicin, which has strong bactericidal or inhibitory effects on bacteria and viruses. Onions can stimulate the human sweat glands, promoting sweating to expel the cold, and also stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, aiding digestion. They can also enhance the body's immune system, strengthening the body.
Garlic: It can improve cellular immunity, humoral immunity, and non-specific immunity, making it a good immune booster. Garlic extract can kill influenza B virus, and eating garlic can reduce the probability of catching a cold by two-thirds.
Cabbage: Cabbage has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, relieving cough and resolving phlegm, promoting urination and bowel movements, and nourishing the stomach and promoting fluid production. Modern research has found that vitamin A in cabbage juice can increase the resistance of the respiratory mucosa and prevent colds.
Braised Cabbage with Vinegar
Ginger: "Eating ginger in all four seasons sweeps away all illnesses," and "Three slices of ginger in the morning are better than ginseng soup." Many proverbs reflect the health benefits of ginger. Ginger contains volatile ginger ketone and gingerol, which have effects of activating blood, dispelling cold, removing dampness, promoting sweating, strengthening the stomach, and stopping vomiting.
Radish: Radish has the effects of promoting qi to aid digestion, eliminating phlegm to moisten the organs, treating asthma, detoxifying, promoting urination, and tonifying deficiency. Radish contains a unique substance for preventing and treating colds. Lignin in radish can enhance the activity of macrophages and contains an interferon inducer, which can enhance the body's immunity and resist viruses.
Pumpkin: Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A. A lack of vitamin A in children during winter and spring is a major cause of respiratory infections. American scientists believe that vitamin A achieves its anti-infection effects by enhancing the body's immunity.
Tomatoes: They contain a large amount of vitamin C, which has antioxidant functions and helps white blood resist the side effects of free radicals, thereby resisting viral infections.
Lemon: Lemons are rich in vitamin C, citric acid, malic acid, high sodium, and low potassium. They have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying and preventing colds.
Green Tea: The antioxidants in green tea help enhance the human immune system and resist the invasion of viruses and bacteria. The "Journal of the American Nutrition Society" published a new study showing that after taking green tea capsules, the subjects' chances of catching a common cold or flu were reduced by 23%, and the duration of the illness was shortened by 36%.
Dietary Remedies to Prevent Colds
San Bai Tang (Three White Decoction): 30 grams each of white radish, cabbage root, and white onion. Boil the white radish, cabbage root, and white onion to make a soup, drink it as tea, three times a day.
Radish Juice: Chop radish and press out half a cup of juice. Add a small amount of ginger juice and honey, mix well, then pour in boiling water to drink as a beverage. Drink three times a day for two consecutive days.
Garlic Soup: Boil 3 cloves of garlic, 3 slices of ginger, a pinch of tea, with a little brown sugar or 3-5 red dates in water. This can effectively fight against colds.
Ginger and White Onion Soup: 3 slices of ginger, 3 white onions, and an appropriate amount of brown sugar. Wash the ginger and white onions, slice them, and boil them in water. Add brown sugar and drink while hot.
Ginger Tea: Decoct 10 slices of ginger and 7 grams of tea in water, and drink while hot. This can prevent the occurrence of colds.
Jealousy cabbage