Staying healthy and avoiding illness can be challenging during this season. Proper nutrition and food choices can help your body stave off cold and flu symptoms. With 2018 just beginning, eating healthier often tops the resolution list, which is a great way to protect yourself from germs.
Chicken soup, a perennial favorite for generations, is one of the most popular remedies for a cold. But why? Not only is chicken soup hydrating, but the warm fluid can thin mucous to help clear congestion in the chest and sinuses. Studies have shown that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties that affect neutrophils (immune cells that react to infection), lessening the intensity of the inflammatory response of a cold. Chicken contains the amino acid cysteine. The body converts cysteine to glutathione, a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier. Glutathione strengthens cell membranes and promotes nutrient transport to cells whose primary role is to support the immune system. The composition of chicken soup varies. Carrots, garlic, and onions have their own medicinal properties that are powerful antioxidants, stimulating immune responses and reducing inflammation.
Chicken soup offers an ideal immune-boosting combination for the cold and flu season. Start 2018 off in good health, making sure to consume lots of soup!
Contributor
Acupuncturist, herbalist, Maya abdominal practitioner, and reflexologist Christina Morris is the founder of Element Natural Healing Arts. Writing about health and wellness gives her an outlet to express her care and concern for her beloved community. She believes everyone can achieve better health and happiness–emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.