The New Chicken Soup: Keep Colds at Bay with a Salad a Day
With the cold and flu season just around the corner, Americans may welcome a new study that could keep them out of the doctor’s office this year. The study, published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA), revealed eating salads with salad dressing and raw vegetables is a great way to defend your body against illness. People who eat salads are getting more of the essential nutrients that promote a healthy immune system and protect against a variety of illnesses. So be proactive – keeping healthy can be just a matter of eating a salad a day!
Recent research conducted by the UCLA School of Public Health, which examined salad consumption by more than 17,000 adults, shows that those who eat salads with salad dressing and raw vegetables every day have considerably higher levels of vitamins C, E, B6 and folic acid – key nutrients that aid in promoting a healthy immune system. A weakened immune system can result in colds, flu, chronic viral infections, fatigue and other ailments.
According to pediatricians, children get an average of eight colds per year, which is one more reason for them to finish their vegetables! Adults can expect a cold at least four times per year. If you do get sick, the old stand-by, chicken soup, is great – but it will only help you once you already have the cold. The warm broth and amino acids will help break up some congestion, but the most important thing you can do this season is to put up your best defense so you don’t get sick in the first place!
