When you think flu prevention, you might think of immunization first, but that’s not the only tool we have for staying healthy. It’s also important to wash your hands, get enough sleep, stay hydrated, stay active, and eat whole, nutritious foods to keep your immune system strong and able to fight off viruses throughout the cold and flu season.
I had a chance to chat with the registered dietitian at my local Superstore, Brittany Thomas, MHSc, to discover the best foods to focus on this time of year for a healthy immune system.
- Think orange when you’re shopping in the produce section. Orange fruit like citrus, grapefruit, oranges, and mangoes are rich in vitamin C, and orange veggies like sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, and bell peppers (all colours) are high in vitamin A. Did you know that bell peppers are a better source of vitamin C than even oranges?
- Legumes like beans and lentils provide fiber and zinc necessary for normal immune function, energy metabolism, and growth. For those of us who avoid beans or pulses, high-quality meats and seafood (especially shellfish) are also excellent sources of zinc, and many fruit and vegetables also provide fiber. Good sources include raspberries, blackberries, pears, apples, avocados, artichokes, peas, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
- Nuts and seeds provide protein, fiber, and vitamin E, a dietary antioxidant that helps in the maintenance of good health. Almonds and hazelnuts are great sources of vitamin E, but limit portions to 1/4 cup. Looking for a tasty nut and seed snack? Try this grain-free granola made with almonds, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut, and flax seeds.
- Probiotics help moderate healthy immune function. You can find probiotics in yogurt (avoid added sugar) and in kefir (try adding kefir to your smoothies). If you don’t eat dairy, you can find probiotics in non-dairy sources like kombucha, sauerkraut, or fermented products like tempeh. Getting probiotics from food instead of probiotic supplements allows you to reap the benefit of other nutrients in the food, like protein and calcium.
- Protein is important for overall health and for building antibodies, so choose foods with plenty of protein like high-quality meats, seafood, eggs, milk, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
The team of 70 registered dietitians at Loblaws stores is an amazing resource for all of us wanting to prepare for cold and flu season with foods and recipes to promote good immune health. They answer your questions in store, on the phone, and via email. You can also book a consultation with your local dietitian to review your current health status, diet, and lifestyle and get evidence-based recommendations to help you meet your goals from meal planning ideas, help reading food labels, to how to order the healthiest options at a restaurant.
Dietitians also provide medical nutrition therapy. So if you or a family member has type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, celiac disease, food allergies, or other medical concerns, a dietitian can help you learn how to adjust your diet to meet all your nutritional needs within your personal parameters.
Got a picky eater? Brittany had some advice for parents with picky eaters too (I might know a little thing about that!). Role model the behaviour that you’d like to see. If you want your kids to eat more veggies, you should too. As difficult as it may be in the moment at the dinner table, avoid forcing, bribing, or using food as a punishment or a reward. Since it can take up to 10 exposures to a new food for a child to try it, just keep offering. Offer at least one food that you know your child will eat at every meal so they have something to eat, even if they’re not yet ready to try a new food.
Visit your local Loblaws or Superstore to book an appointment with an in-store registered dietitian for more information on foods that help support good overall and immune health during cold and flu season and year round.
Wash Your Hands
To limit the spread of germs, wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Teach your kids how to wash their hands properly too: with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing the front, back, between their fingers, and under their nails.
Get Your Flu Shot
If you’ve ever had the flu, you don’t need anyone to tell you just how miserable it is. Flu symptoms start one to four days after being exposed to the virus and include feeling feverish, chills, headaches, sore throat, body and muscle aches, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. The flu typically lasts seven to 10 days, but could persist for up to two or even three weeks. Flu season runs from November through to March/April, so right now is the best time to get vaccinated. Once vaccinated, protection will last roughly six months, but be aware that it can take up to two weeks for it to take effect.
According to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, everyone should get the flu vaccine, but it’s most important for vulnerable individuals like seniors 65 years of age and older; healthy children 6 months to 5 years of age; healthy pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy; and children and adults with chronic medical conditions. Depending on how well the vaccine is matched to this year’s common viruses, 40-60% of flu cases can be avoided through vaccination.
Spending a few minutes getting vaccinated could save you 14 days of misery! Do your shopping and get your flu shot all at the same time when you visit your local Real Canadian Superstore.
Win a $100 President’s Choice Gift Card
I’m giving away a $100 President’s Choice gift card to one lucky family to help you start stocking up on healthy, nutritious food. Tell us what you do to help your family get through the flu season. Share your best flu prevention tips or your go-to comfort meal when you’re sick.
Click here to check out my other open giveaways and be sure to follow me on Facebook!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation. Nevertheless, all opinions in this post are completely honest and my own. Your experience may differ.
My best flu prevention tips are to wash my hands frequently in warm, soapy water. I also clean/sanitize regularly both at home and at work.
We always get our flu shots and we are careful to always wash our hands (soap and water or travel gel) if we sneeze, blow our nose etc.
making sure everyone washes their hands when they get home from work, school, shopping etc
I’m pretty OCD about hand washing here… but it happens. When it does my daughter likes that silly powdered Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup and tea.
A few of the things we do to try to prevent getting the flu include getting a flu shot, frequent hand washing and eating healthy.
We drink a lot of orange juice.
I always get a flu shot
To prevent the flu, I make sure we are eating fruits and vegetables and getting enough sleep.
Hospital employee flu shot, hand wash, sneezing/coughing into elbow instead of hand, hydration, vitamin C, exercising, sleep, sweating!
Hospital employee flu shot for daughter, hand wash, sneezing/coughing into elbow instead of hand, hydration, vitamin C, exercising, sleep, sweating!
Hospital employee flu shot for daughter, hand wash, sneezing/coughing into elbow instead of hand, hydration, vitamin C, exercising, sleep, sweating!
Homemade chicken noodle soup is our go to comfort meal when we are sick.
Everyone here is reminded to wash their hands – and also use lotion to prevent cracks that harbour bacteria and viruses from forming. Thank you.
I never thought of cracks in the skin as harbouring germs. Thank you!
I try to prevent the flu and colds by practicing good hand hygiene
My household always gets the flu shot, we eat healthy, exercise, and get a lot of fresh air. When we are under the weather I make a delicious homemade chicken noodle soup!
We wash our hands often during flu season.
Constantly reminding my kids to wash their hands
My chiropractor advised oregano. I only had the essential oil so I put 1 drop in a glass of tomato juice. I only had to take it 1 time and all my symptoms were gone! It did sting my lip as I drank so possibly there was a sneaky extra drop. The second time I used it, there was no burn. It now has a permanent place in my cupboard!
I like to take zinc, vitamin C and elderberry to help boost my immune system against the flu.
Best flu prevention is to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
Once someone gets sick it’s good to have lots of soup, Gatorade on hand. It’s good to consume lots of fluids.
We make sure we get lost of sleep, eat lots of fresh fruits & veggies and exercise regularly.
We take our vitamins and practice lots of hand washing, especially when the kids get home from school or other outings.
I try to dress for the weather – warn coat and boots. I also frequently wash my hands (plain old soap will do!), and if I do get sick, I try to take a day off to get better. If I can’t, I medicate well, so i don’t spread it!
Wash your hands often and especially when you enter your home from the outside world (saves spreading germs throughout your home). Eat a wide variety of healthy homemade foods.
When I feel a cold coming, I make sure I get lots of sleep and drink lots of water and I don’t push myself too hard!
First of all, I encourage all my family to get flu shots. There is also a pneumonia shot available to seniors free of charge.
I try to avoid large gatherings and wash, wash, wash my hands-especially if I have been somewhere where I have had to shake hands.
I have learned, by experience, to have cold remedies at hand in our home.
Knock on wood, I haven’t had the ‘flu’ in years and neither has my husband.
Sadly my daughter has the flu right now. The go-to foods are saltine crackers, chicken or vegetable soup, & toast. When the appetite gets a bit better we move to plain chicken sandwiches.
My kids love eating Homemade Chicken Rice Soup when they’re sick.
Flu shot, lots of rest, orange juice, vitamin c supplements and sugar-free cough drops
My husband’s go-to cold fighting soup is spicy goat stew and my favourite is chicken noodle soup.
We practice lots of handwashing and we take daily vitamins. Chicken Noodle Soup is my go to when I’m sick
Staying warm and eating healthy throughout the cold and flu season, and getting the flu shot helps.
My comfort meal when I’m sick is chicken noodle soup.
Regular hand washing and use of sanitizer.
We do lots of hand washing and change clothes after school and work
We get our flu shot every year, I also keep hand sanatizer in the car and in my purse.
We take vitamin C and D all winter long and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
I always get a flu shot, eat breakfast and try to eat healthy throughout the day!!!
Our go-to comfort meal when someone has the flu is homemade chicken and vegetable soup. My best flu prevention tips are to get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, exercise, get the flu shot and wash your hands.
CONGRATS to the lucky winner