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3 tasty recipes to protect you from the flu

Flu season has arrived so it’s time to give the germs a good fight! The best way to arm yourself is to boost your body with flu-fighting foods. Here are three delicious recipes to send colds and flu packing.

Hearty veggie soup

Ah, nothing beats a warm and hearty bowl of vegetable soup in chilly weather. Packed with eight different vegetables, a bowl of soup offers flu-busting friends like vitamins B, C and K, potassium and antioxidants. The best part is that you can use whichever veggies you have on hand! Pack a punch of protein and an extra dose of vitamins with chicken or beef and bone broth.

You will need

  • 1 tbsp olive oil.
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced.
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped.
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped.
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped.
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced.
  • 2 cups green beans, trimmed and chopped.
  • 1 tin of diced tomatoes.
  • 4 cups vegetable stock.
  • 1½ tsp dried oregano.
  • 1 tsp dried basil.
  • ½ tsp dried thyme.
  • 1 tsp sea salt.
  • ½ tsp black pepper.
  • 4 cups of kale, stemmed and chopped.
  • 2 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped.

Method

  1. Heat up a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
  2. Throw in onion, carrot and celery and cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
  3. Add garlic and bell pepper and cook for a minute.
  4. Add green beans and cook for another minute.
  5. Top with diced tomatoes, vegetable stock and spices and give it a stir.
  6. Bring to a boil and then allow it to simmer, uncovered over medium-low heat for 25 minutes.
  7. Add the kale and cook for 5 more minutes until wilted.
  8. Top with fresh parsley and serve warm.
  9. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze to keep for a few weeks.

Chamomile ginger popsicles with lemon and honey

Who said you can’t have treats when you have the flu? Chamomile ginger popsicles offer an icy alternative to throat lozenges and a dessert swap for ice-cream. Ginger, lemon and honey boast flu-combatting vitamins and minerals like antioxidants and Vitamin C. Chamomile is known for its soothing properties, so this treat makes for a great sore throat remedy, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • 5cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced.
  • 2 tbsps honey.
  • 2 teabags of chamomile tea.
  • 2½ cups of boiling water.

Method

  1. In a heat-proof bowl, mix together the lemon juice, ginger, honey, and chamomile tea bags.
  2. Pour boiling water over the top of the tea bags and steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove tea bags and strain out the ginger slices. Let it sit until the water has slightly cooled.
  4. Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze completely.

Pineapple smoothie

If you’re a fan of tropical flavours, you’re in for a breakfast treat with this smoothie. Not only does it have a refreshing flavour, but as it’s chock-full of pineapple, it offers immune-boosting Vitamin C, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients

  • 250g frozen or fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks.
  • 1 cup of coconut water.
  • 2oranges, peeled, halved and seeds removed.
  • 10gfresh ginger, peeled and chopped.
  • 4 tsp shredded coconut, unsweetened.
  • 2 tsp chia seeds.
  • 4 tsp honey
  • A handful of ice(optional for a thicker smoothie).
  • Fresh pineapple and toasted desiccated coconut to garnish(optional).

Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients into a blender and whizz for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
  2. Pour between 2 glasses, top with extra pineapple and toasted coconut and enjoy.

References:

Home remedies for an upset stomach

Was it something you ate, or do you have a tummy bug? You can’t eat or move comfortably without feeling a jolt of pain, so you stay home, curled up in a ball.

There’s nothing like an upset stomach to ruin your day, but before you reach for another painkiller, try these remedies to ease those cramps.

Ginger

This spicy root vegetable adds a kick to hot drinks and meals, but did you know it can ease cramps too? Ginger contains chemicals (called gingerols and shogaols) that can help speed up digestion. It does this by making your stomach contract faster which helps those indigestion-causing foods to move on (and out!) more quickly. Ginger can also help with symptoms like nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Add ginger to hot water and drink it as is. Otherwise, add it to your tea.

Cinnamon

Sprinkle this aromatic spice on nearly anything and you’ll be in for a treat – and health benefits too! Cinnamon contains different antioxidants that may help ease digestion and reduce the risk of irritation in your digestive tract. These antioxidants include cinnamaldehyde, eugenol and camphor.

To reap the benefits of cinnamon, add one teaspoon of cinnamon powder or a cinnamon stick to your meals, or to boiling water with tea, two to three times daily.

Mint

Besides helping to freshen up your breath, mint contains menthol which can help relieve pain, ease indigestion and spasms and stop vomiting and diarrhoea.

Fresh mint leaves can be boiled with cardamom to make a soothing tea. You can also grate it finely to cold drinks and add it into your meals. Sugar-free mint sweets or gum can also be used to reduce the pain from heartburn.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an acquired taste for many, but it does pack a healthy punch with every sip. It helps regulate the amount of acid in your stomach which makes digestion easier. It also helps keep your gut bacteria healthy. This means you’re less likely to have an upset stomach in the first place!

If you can handle the taste, try a tablespoon every day to help with cramps or indigestion. If that’s too strong, mix it with a cup of water and a teaspoon of honey.

Cumin

Cumin is a staple ingredient in dishes like curry or spiced meat. It contains active ingredients that reduce indigestion, stomach acids and inflammation.

For an upset stomach, mix one to two tablespoons of ground or powdered cumin into your meals. You could also try adding a few teaspoons of cumin seeds or powdered cumin to boiling water to make a soothing tea.

Good to know

  • Sometimes an upset stomach can be a symptom of a more serious problem. If you experience pain in your stomach or nausea for more than 48 hours, visit your doctor.
  • Keep track of all the foods you eat every day to help rule out allergy-related cramps and always drink enough water to prevent dehydration.

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