Natural Flu Remedies And Foods That Heal The Common Flu And Cold. Indian Rasam And Other Homemade Remedies For The Flu.

Foods That Heal The Flu

If the flu hits you there are 3 easy remedies to remember about foods that heal:

1. You want to flush it out as fast as possible: Moist mucus in your throat traps the flu virus and sends it down the drain - literally: it washes the virus down to your stomach where powerful digestive acids destroy it. That means plenty of hydrating liquids are potent flu remedies.
2. You want to boost the immune defense that lines up behind your white blood cells battling the virus: Compounds like flavonoids have antiviral features that fight the free radicals that are on the lose in your body.
3. You want to allow yourself enough rest to recover - and that includes your digestive system too. Increase the liquids and decrease the solid food intake, as your body's energy should not be redirected too much from flu-fighting to digestive functions. That's why sleep is part of the natural flu remedies - it allows your body to heal itself at its own pace.

And DO SKIP the antibiotics - they are no flu remedies as they can't treat viral infections. They could hit you with unwanted side effects when you need them least, and above all they could lead to antibiotic resistance, which means you get so used to popping pills that they no longer work when you really need them (Source:Centers for disease control and prevention).

Make hot vegetable soup like rasam with plenty of greens

It increases the flow of mucus - and flow it must - to wash out that nasty flu virus as fast as possible. The best is to soup-up with a good spicy vegetable soup that makes your nose run and sneeze - the faster everything comes out, the better! India has world-class foods that heal and one flu remedy is called rasam - check for the recipe here. Rasam is the Indian answer to the Western chicken broth, and since I don't want dead animal parts swimming in my soup flu remedies, I stick to a punchy vegetable broth with loads of spices and herbs... like rasam! The word alone must send the virus for a run - it sounds a bit like Oxi Clean for your sore throat, but trust me, rasam is the best soup to heal a flu virus!

If you prefer a milder version of soups for the flu, try this tasty pumpkin soup or this hearty potato soup.

The natural flu remedies below are all foods that heal the flu - they are proven homemade remedies and will get you back on your feet fast!

Spice it up with peppers

Chile peppers have capsaicin, which provides the spice. Capsaicin thins the mucus and losens your congestion, as the nasal passages clear up and get rid of the germs - plus you can breathe better. Peppers also have a lot of vitamin C that boosts the immune system. If you don't handle hot chile peppers too well, stick to bell peppers - they are natural foods that heal with vitamin C. Horseradish and wasabi are also great flu remedies to open up the sinuses.

Using a pinch of cayenne pepper is another proven way to fight aches, pain, and fever from a cold. Cayenne pepper also drains stuffy sinuses and improves the blood circulation in case of a headache. All peppers are excellent remedies to heal the flu in a few days.

How about a spicy vegetarian chili recipe to get started?

Use garlic - that stinky little wonderbulb

Garlic has a component called allicin that serves as antioxidant, which means it fights the free radicals in your body and boosts your immune system to heal the flu virus fast. Garlic is also one of the foods that heal cancer and heart disease, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and it generally fends off pretty much everything (including unwanted company).

If you can't bring yourself to enjoy garlic raw as natural flu remedy, chop it and leave it untouched for 5 - 10 minutes before cooking. That way, it's virus fighting enzymes will develop and will still remain intact during heating and cooking.

Fresh whole cloves are best as flu remedies, but research has shown that dried garlic and supplements may work too.

Drink more tea!

White and green tea have the highest amount of antioxidants as natural flu remedies that boost your immune system. The compounds are called catechins, which are the flavonoids that have the antiviral functions. The "Journal of the American College of Nutrition'" has published a study showing that green tea can lead to 23% less cold and flu bouts, and up to 36% fewer sick days. The theophyllines in tea help opening the airways.

Mint tea is just what the doctor ordered as a homemade remedy for a sore throat. Mint also helps to drain sinuses and eases the congestion of colds. Spearmint and peppermint teas are widely available, nd also assist with stomach aches, indigestion, and headaches of all kinds.

Green tea contains only minimal amounts of caffeine, so you can sip multiple cups without worries. Try the flavored versions as flu remedies if you can't warm up to the natural green tea taste. You can also add some lemon and honey for natural flu remedies for extra vitamins and immune boost.

Chamomile tea is great for its soothing attributes with zero caffeine. I personally swear by mint tea to sooth a soar throat. At the faintest sign of a scratching throat I drown myself in mint tea, and usually the scratch disappears in a few hours and nothing else follows (I probably wash out that virus before it can dock properly, who knows).

Consume everything with a lot of vitamin C

Strawberries, oranges, tangerines, broccoli, red bell peppers, etc. are all natural flu remedies and foods that heal. Vitamin C protects your cells and boosts your immune system, but you do need a lot of vitamin C to fight a flu in action - much more than is feasible with fresh food intake as flu remedies. Therefore consider juicing all the goodies in your mixer, as you can drink far more than you can eat of it.

The other option is a vitamin C supplement intake of 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams per day, or more! This can weaken your flu symptoms and shorten the flu duration.

Use fresh ginger

Ginger is one of these great foods that heal several pains naturally, and one of them is to knock out a fever from a bad flu or cold: try this soothing ginger tea recipe with toasted pine nuts for a tasty hot beverage with fresh ginger as great homemade flu remedy that will help your cough and fever to pass quicker.

Get hydrated

Drink plenty of liquids as flu remedies, but none of them should be caffeinated soda, coffee, or alcohol, as they all dehydrate the body. You want to look at roughly doubling your liquid intake to flush out the cold with enough hydration.

Focus on hot green or herbal tea, steaming vegetable soups, and vitamin-loaded smoothies from fresh fruits and vegetables as foods that heal. The vegetable soup can have noodles and plenty of veggies and herbs, to give you natural flu remedies along with good nutrition and hydration.

Eat little, sleep more, drink a lot

The best is to reduce your solid food intake and mainly stick to liquids as natural flu remedies(see above). Your body wants to heal, so don't burden it with digestion tasks that take energy away from flu-fighting to work on digestion. Pick a few of your favorite foods that heal as listed above, and otherwise take it easy.

Appetite is often reduced anyway during a fly attack, so listen to your body and eat less, sleep more, and drink a lot. My cat Lucky in this picture takes sleeping seriously...

Try these other powerful immunity booster foods that heal the flu.

• Beta carotene - peppers, hot chiles, carrots, lettuce, kale, spinach, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, pumpkin, sweet potato are all foods that heal the flu.
• B vitamins (folate and B12) - bananas, potatoes, lentils, whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat, oatmeal, soybeans, peanuts, peas, walnuts, chili peppers, green vegetables, brewer's yeast, B12-fortified products.
• Vitamin C - fresh fruits like papaya, strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe melons, kiwis, lemons, grapefruit, guava. All peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, tomatoes are the primary natural flu remedies.
• Vitamin E - vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, avocados, wheat germ, whole grains, almonds, sunflower seeds, olives, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, spinach, broccoli, papaya, etc.
• Zinc - fortified cereals, pumpkin seeds, beans, cashews, raisin bran, chickpeas, almonds, peas, kidney beans, oatmeal, peanuts, yeast, brown rice, whole wheat bread are great foods that heal a flu or cold.