Knocking out your Cold like a Heavyweight Champ

It is a normal hectic day.  In the midst of juggling your report for work, the traffic, the kid who forgot  her school lunch and the dog who got himself wrapped up in toilet paper, you feel a tickle in the back of your throat.  It is ever so slight but persistent.  Then the congestion builds up.   It’s probably just allergies.  Then there it is…a sneeze!  And you think to yourself, “Nooooo…I don’t have time for a cold!!!”

For many people the start of a cold also translates to the end of their diet.  Either they stop eating, or they resort to comfort food to get them through.  My favorite part of being sick as a kid was soda!  When I was sick my mother would pull out the sacred two liter that was out of my reach on most days.  Soda was my reward for feeling miserable.  This has translated today to me wanting to drown myself in Venti sized sugary fun as soon as I get the sniffles.

The problem is that it is even more important to eat healthy during times of illness.  You need lots of vitamins and minerals to fuel your immune system.  That way it can go nine rounds with the pesky virus until it is thrown right out of the ring.  Antioxidants, which are found in highest concentrations in fruit and vegetables, are especially important.  So if you eat a colorful salad, you are basically giving the virus invader a one two punch.  On the other hand, processed, refined fatty foods like a bagel with butter and jam, a greasy hamburger or cheesy nacho chips will actually deplete the body of the vitamins and minerals it needs to stop the virus. 

Do you know the ingredient that really depresses your immunity?  It is lurking in the tea with honey, cough drops and orange juice that for many are the main line of defense.  Give up?  The answer is sugar and it will actually reduce the reactivity of your immune cells.  These cells have the job of fighting off the virus.  When you consume soda, honey and a pint of ice cream, you are basically welcoming your virus to give you a smack down!

So the bottom line is you should eat healthy fruits and veggies, good quality protein, lots of whole grains and plenty of water.  You can pop vitamin C pills, take Echinacea as well as Astragalus.  Supporting your body and your health during times of illness will keep you on track to continue on your diet once you recover.  

And now you that you've recovered like a champ, you'll be ready to fish your iPhone out of the toilet, finish that unexpected work project, avoid that drunk text from your ex and deal with all the other craziness that enters the ring.