It is that time of the year again, when the cold and flu season strikes rendering millions a slave to the sniffles.

Common sense dictates a host of things we can do to reduce our risk of catching the dreaded bug doing the rounds.

Steer clear of sick friends and relatives, take vitamin supplements, and avoid getting too run down.

But, the preventative measures do not end there.

One of the best forms of defense may in fact be lurking in the local grocery store, according to one expert.

Holistic nutrition coach, Andrea Moss, of Moss Wellness in New York City, shares her top 10 foods to eat, to boost the immune system and stave off a winter illness.

A CLOVE OF GARLIC
Garlic may be best known for the stench it can leave on a person’s breath.

But, according to Ms Moss, garlic should instead be known for its immune-boosting powers.

She said: ‘Garlic is my favorite – it definitely has natural antiviral and antibacterial properties.’

Garlic is jam-packed with sulfuric compounds, such as allicin, which create the immune-boosting effects.

‘Interestingly, with allicin, it becomes most potent and is basically released when the inside of the garlic clove is exposed to air,’ Ms Moss said.

She recommends that people who are feeling sick should thus eat raw garlic to stave off illness.

She said: ‘If you get a weird feeling in the back of your throat – like something’s coming – that’s when you should pop the garlic.’

Ms Moss suggests taking a clove of garlic and chopping it into four or five pieces – the size of a pill.

And then – swallow the pieces, just as if they were a pill.

‘Because you’re not chewing the garlic, you will not get that same awful garlic breath as if you chewed a whole clove raw,’ she added.

A SPOONFUL OF YOGURT
A morning dose of yogurt can help keep your immune system strong.

It contains probiotics – which are essentially good bacteria – that help boost your immune system.

And, it also helps support healthy gut flow, Ms Moss said.

Nearly 70 to 80 per cent of your immune system resides in your gut, according to the nutritionist.

‘You actually have to have a really good, balanced gut to have the most fighting power,’ she explained.

Because when bacterial imbalance occurs in the gut, it can throw your system out of whack.

Ms Moss said: ‘Eating something like yogurt, which can help get bacteria in your system… that’s when you’re going to get a huge immune system boost.’

To get the most benefit from yogurt, try to make it a regular part of your daily diet, she said.

‘If you’re looking to maintain a healthy immune system, it all starts with prevention,’ Ms Moss added.

A CUP OF BONE BROTH
Chicken soup is the one of the oldest cold and flu remedies in the book.

And, it’s currently seeing a surge in popularity – in the form of bone broth, according to Ms Moss.

‘The trendy name for it is bone broth, but we probably all knew it as chicken soup growing up,’ the nutritionist said.

‘Chicken soup – or bone broths – in general are really, really effective when you’re sick.’

Bone broth, or chicken soup, is packed with amino acids – including glycine, arginine and proile – and minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorous and sulfur, which helps boost the immune system

They are rich in mineral content, from magnesium to phosphorous and sulfur.

Broths also contain amino acids – including glycine, arginine and proline – that have anti-inflammatory effects on the whole body.

Ms Moss said: ‘For the most part, we don’t eat bone, so when you cook bones you’re actually getting out so many of the valuable minerals and nutrients that we wouldn’t get otherwise.’

She recommends having a cup of bone broth at least three times a week to boost your immune system.

‘If and when you start feeling ill and you’re not taking bone broth a few times a week, that’s a great time to start adding it to your diet,’ she noted.

As for people who don’t eat meat, Ms Moss suggests instead having vegetable broth.

A CUP OF COOKED SPINACH

Spinach has become famous – and beloved – for its superfood attributes.

It seems like you can’t get a green juice, smoothie or even a salad without spinach nowadays.

Ms Moss said: ‘We all know spinach is just a powerhouse vegetable in general.

‘But when it comes to immune fighting, spinach has a couple of other properties that put it high on the list.’

Spinach is rich in folic acid, which helps repair cells.

It’s also really high in vitamin C.

‘We tend to think of citrus fruits as high in vitamin C – but spinach is up there,’ Ms Moss said.

Furthermore, a cup of cooked spinach contains more potassium than a cup of sliced bananas.

The nutritionist said: ‘It is one of the best sources of potassium and magnesium – they act as electrolytes that keep the body well-hydrated and help keep energy levels in balance as well.’

Ms Moss said she is a big believer in variety when it comes to fruits and vegetables, so added it doesn’t have to be a part of your daily diet as long as you’re getting in other greens as well.

But, she suggests working spinach into your diet at least two to three times a week.

BROCCOLI
As a child, you recoiled when your mother tried to get you to eat your broccoli.

But, it turns out she may have been on to something.

According to Ms Moss, broccoli does is twice the vegetable, acting as an immune fighter and booster.

That’s because it is a cruciferous vegetable – which helps naturally detox the body and prevent illness.

She said: ‘We can get sick because of stagnation in the liver.

‘Getting in cruciferous vegetables is a great way to help the body naturally detox.’

Furthermore, broccoli contains the amino acid choline, which helps keeps cells functioning properly and promote a healthy gut lining.

On top of that, broccoli has high levels of Vitamin C and calcium.

‘It’s an all-around immune-boosting and body-building food,’ Ms Moss added.

The nutritionist recommends getting in a portion of broccoli at least twice a week.

HALF A GRAPEFRUIT
Most of us run to get a glass of orange juice when we come down with a cold.

But instead, Ms Moss recommends reaching for half a grapefruit – which contains less sugar.

She said: ‘Grapefruits help reduce cold symptoms and the severity of cold symptoms.

‘They also help prevent free radical damages – which means they can reduce the severity of any inflammatory condition.’

The nutritionist says you should reach for the red or pink varieties of grapefruit, since they contain the antioxidant lycopene – which boosts immune system functioning.

Additionally, grapefruit’s phytonutrients can also help detox the body.

Ms Moss said people should have half a grapefruit a couple of times a week to regulate their immune system.

‘If you feel a cold coming on, that’s when you can increase that amount,’ she added.

A SPRINKLE OF CINNAMON

Many of us sprinkle cinnamon on our coffee or oatmeal.

And, who would have thought that our cinnamon could actually boost our health?

Ms Moss said: ‘Cinnamon is incredible in that it’s antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal.’

Cinnamon bark contains beneficial oils that help improve digestion.

Also, cinnamon helps boost circulation in the body – which is great for hands and feet in wintertime.

It also helps remove toxins in the body and ‘warms the kidneys’.

Ms Moss said: ‘Whether you’re sick or not, it’s fantastic because it also lowers blood sugar – I recommend it to my diabetic clients.’

To boost your immune system, she recommends a generous sprinkling of cinnamon each day.

A SLICE OF WATERMELON
One of the best parts of summertime is sitting outside, enjoying some delicious watermelon.

And, it turns out watermelon is actually an immune system-booster that we should be enjoying all year long.

‘Watermelon is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and it also has a large concentration of lycopene,’ Ms Moss said.

Lycopene gives watermelon its red color and offers a ton of life-building elements.

The fruit also helps reduce infection, inflammation and free radicals.

But the catch? Watermelon can be tough to get in the wintertime.

‘Finding and getting good-tasting watermelon is challenging,’ she said. ‘One backup can be tomatoes or tomato sauce.’

Tomatoes also contain high levels of lycopene, Ms Moss added.

OYSTERS

Oysters are known to be an aphrodisiac.

But, it is the same nutrient in oysters that ‘get you in the mood’ – zinc – that helps boost your immune system.

‘Oysters are so high in zinc and that’s one of the reasons why they’re a surprising immune-boosting food,’ Ms Moss said.

Zinc not only boosts testosterone – which makes it an aphrodisiac.

It also reduces the severity of your cold.

Also, if you get enough zinc in your system preventatively, it acts as a shield that protects your immune system.

However, oysters can be expensive.

Ms Moss said: ‘Fresh oysters are a really decadent, delicious food to eat.

‘Most of us are not going to get oysters daily, but you can get canned oysters, which is a great way to get it in.’

MUSHROOMS
They may be a staple in salads, pasta dishes and pizzas, but it turns out mushrooms can also help fight a cold.

‘Mushrooms are one of the very few foods that contain vitamin D, which is the sunshine vitamin we don’t get enough of in wintertime,’ Ms Moss said.

Furthermore, they’re great sources of zinc and because they’re fungal, they contain immune-supportive agents that can help kill viruses and bacteria.

She said: ‘Humans and mushrooms actually same the same pathogens, bacteria and viruses.

‘So when we eat mushrooms, the fungi have developed natural antibiotics of their own.’

That’s why so many modern medicines – including penicillin – come from fungal extract, the nutritionist noted.

Furthermore mushrooms are cancer fighters that are shown to reduce breast cancer.

Ms Moss recommends having a daily dose of mushrooms.

‘They’re an all-around superstar in the vitamin world,’ she said. ‘They’re in a category by themselves.’

Written by Lisa Ryan for The Daily Mail, January 5, 2016.

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