The flu is a common medical problem, especially at certain points of the year. While there are shots that can prevent or reduce the severity of the flu, it is always a good idea to shore up our immunity to avoid getting the flu altogether. Fortunately, there are food items that can help us build this immunity and reduce the chances that our loved ones are going to get the flu. If you are worried that a loved one might get the flu, here are some healthy food options for seniors that can help reduce this risk.
Vitamin C
Food items that are rich in vitamin C are critical when it comes to boating your immunity. For this reason, you should encourage your loved one to consume food items such as watermelons, citric fruits, and many others that can boost your immune system and reduce your chances of getting the flu. There are also plenty of vegetables that offer vitamin C and can also help boost your immunity. These include Broccoli., tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts. When it comes to vegetables, it is important to ensure that they are not overcooked. This is because heat can easily destroy vitamin C and so your loved one ends up not getting any health benefits at all. Fortunately, most retirement communities have professional chefs who understand how to prepare nutritious and delicious meals for their residents.
Broth
For a long time, people have known that broth is a great food item for managing flu symptoms. Broth is a powerful antioxidant and helps to improve a variety of metabolic systems in your body including your immune system. Depending on which kind of broth you have made, you also get additional health benefits such as stronger bones due to the fact that broth is rich in calcium.
Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is also another traditional favorite when it comes to the prevention and management of flu symptoms. Just like broth, chicken soup contains powerful antioxidant properties that will help strengthen your immune system. This is in addition to many other nutritional benefits such as calcium, proteins, and a lot more. Just like broth, chicken soup can also help manage flu symptoms ad make the duration of illness a lot shorter.
Garlic
Garlic is often referred to as a superfood due to the fact that it has numerous health benefits. Garlic is best used raw rather than cooked or in supplement form. This is because the chemical properties that make garlic such a powerful remedy for a number of ailments are easily destroyed by heat. The best way to get maximum health benefits from garlic is to put a piece of garlic in the tea. This way, you get all the benefits of taking garlic while not having to struggle with the strong taste.
While all these food items can help you reduce the risk of getting the flu, it is important to remember that flu shots are also an effective way to control this medical condition. The ideal approach is to combine getting your annual flu shot with the right kind of diet. You should remember to also include plenty of water in your diet as water has many health benefits and can help in the metabolism of the food items we have discussed above.
