If You Feel Sick, Try Eating These 25 Everyday Food Items - It's Almost Magical

Getting sick is the worst, especially in the spring and summer when the weather”s beautiful and you”re stuck inside. But don”t worry, you don”t have to languish on the couch all week while everyone else enjoys the sunshine. You actually have plenty of natural cold remedies right at your fingertips. No, they”re not in the medicine cabinet they”re in the kitchen.

Besides tasting great and providing you with nutrition, many foods and drinks also pack vitamins and minerals that can help you beat a cold and soothe all kinds of discomforts. All you have to do is check out what you have in your fridge.

1. Chicken soup

Everyone knows chicken soup is good for a cold, and it”s true. Chicken soup contains an amino acid called cysteine that helps thin out mucus and clear congestion. It also keeps you hydrated and warm. Plus chicken soup just makes everyone feel better because it”s the best.

2. Echinacea

Commonly sold in dried form as a tea or supplement, this flower has been shown to boost white blood cell count and help fight infection. Don”t take too much of it, though it can cause seriously terrible tummy aches.

3. Green tea

Any tea is good for a cold. It”s warm, it”s soothing, and it keeps you hydrated. Green tea is the best, though, because it”s packed with antioxidants called catechins. The tea works as a preventative, too, as regular catechin intake significantly reduces your chances of getting the flu. Plus, it pairs perfectly with the next item on our list…

4. Honey

If you need a little something sweet when you”re sick, opt for honey over sugar. Sugar can impair your immune system, but honey will boost it. It”s also great for soothing a scratchy, raw throat. For throat troubles, try a spoon of it in mullein tea (or just straight off the spoon if you”re feeling dangerous).

5. Hot, salty water

Not as a drink, but as a gargle. (Don”t swallow it. Really.) Gargling with salt water helps sore throats because salt will pull excess moisture out of the throat”s inflamed membranes. It can also rinse away bacteria.

 

6. Dark chocolate

Rejoice! You can have chocolate while you”re sick. Sugar isn”t your friend during sick times, so the darker and more bitter the chocolate the better. Opt for over 70% cacao. Cacao in its most natural form (before being hot-pressed and roasted into cocoa) packs a healthier punch. Besides being delicious, chocolate also contains the antioxidant polyphenol, which is an immune system booster.

7. Vitamin D

Contrary to popular belief, consuming dairy while sick isn”t bad for you, and Vitamin D is good for helping with respiratory infections. You can also get Vitamin D from the sun, but on cold, dark days, opt for milk. Or take a cue from this picture and combine Vitamin D with chocolate”s polyphenols. Boom.

8. Yogurt

Stomach ailments can be devastating to the trillions of bacteria buddies living in your intestines, as can heavy antibiotic use. Replenish your little friends by eating probiotic foods like yogurt that include Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum.

9. The BRAT diet

This diet is perfect for stomach troubles. It stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. The food is bland and binding, while bananas are full of potassium, which replenishes electrolytes that might have been lost.

10. Blueberries

Blueberries are full of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which is known to boost immune system and brain function. Wine also has this antioxidant, but if your head”s already clouded with a cold, we suggest sticking to the blueberries.

11. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are unassuming fungi, but they”re full of antioxidants, potassium, Vitamin B, and fiber. Also, they”re really good.

 

12. Dark, leafy greens

Kale, collard greens, and spinach are packed with nutrients, which you need when you”re sick. Bitter greens like arugula can also boost white blood cell counts.

13. Fennel

Fennel, both the vegetable and the seeds, make for a good decongestant and can also help reduce coughing. The seeds can be crushed into a tea or cooked with meals, and the vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked.

14. Oysters

Oysters are high in zinc, which may cut down on your cold”s longevity. When taken as a supplement, zinc reduces the length of colds, so oysters, which have the highest zinc content of all foods, might do the same. If you”re sick, though, avoid eating them raw, as a compromised immune system might be susceptible to any bacteria they might contain. Stick to cooked oysters while ill.

15. Fatty fish

You should generally avoid fats while sick, but the Omega-3 fatty acids found fish like salmon and tuna can reduce inflammation.

16. Lean meat

Protein is important in helping your body produce antibodies. If you”re sick, though, stick with lean meat. Step away from the cheeseburger.

17. Beans, nuts, and legumes

If you”re not into meat, beans and legumes also provide protein. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, a known cold and flu fighter, and sunflower seeds are full of Vitamin E, which is good for lung function and cell wall repair.

18. Orange foods

No, not oranges…orange food. Orange carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash all have beta carotene, which is what the human body converts into Vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for the health of mucous membranes.

19. Citrus

Vitamin C is heralded as the champion of cold-killers, but studies show it doesn”t actually do all that much. However, citrus fruits can still make you feel better, and, despite being sour, can soothe sore throats.

20. Oats

Oats contain a fiber called beta-glucan, which in studies, has shown to prevent upper respiratory infection, fight cholesterol, and even reduce stress.

21. Ginger

Ginger is one of the most popular home remedies for just about everything. It”s primarily good for stomach issues, including constipation, bloating, and nausea. It”s also good for, well, everything else. Try it boiled as a tea, or chop it finely and throw it into your scrambled eggs.

22. Turmeric

Like ginger, turmeric has some powerful healing properties. It”s an anti-inflammatory, an antibiotic, and it can soothe stomachs and increase appetite. You can add it to a dish of vegetables or lean meat for a meal, or add half a teaspoon to boiling milk.

23. Anise

Anise tastes good and, like fennel, contains phytoestrogens that help ease menstrual cramps. It can also ease coughs and help expel mucus. You can make a tea from the seeds by crushing them and adding them to boiling water. Flavor it with honey and cinnamon.

24. Garlic

Everyone loves garlic, and now you can love it even more because it”s good for you, too. You can add it to your food while sick to give yourself a boost of antioxidants, or if the strong flavor isn”t your thing, you can also take supplements. If none of the above sound appealing to you, you”re probably a vampire.

25. Spicy food

Spicy food is hands down the best thing you can eat with a cold. You”ll want to avoid it for stomach ailments, but if you have a head cold, spice is your friend. Spicy food makes your nose run, so it”s perfect for flushing out congestion and mucus.

Of course, you don”t have to wait until you”re sick to eat these healthy and health-boosting foods. The best way to beat a cold is to prevent one, and these foods can boost your immunities and your overall health, helping you ward off infections.

You can use everyday food items for all kinds of things: