Snuggling in your bed, drinking a cup of coffee and nibbling on some fried snacks is probably the most ideal way to spend lazy and gloomy days in winter. Sadly, with this weather comes the fear of becoming prone to infections; thanks to a weakened immunity system. During winters, you are in for an increased risk of cold and cough or flu. Did you know your diet may also have a role in aggravating your condition? If you haven’t known this already, we can tell you about some foods that can potentially contribute to excessive cold and cough. However, let’s first see what happens when you suffer from cold.
You get cold when a virus attaches to the lining of your nose and throat. The immunity system sends white blood cells to fight against these viruses, but tends to fail, considering they are weak enough to lose out. Your nose and throat then gets inflamed and makes a lot of mucus. With so much energy lost in fighting the cold virus, you are left feeling fatigued and miserable. A weak immunity system and virus can completely get you down. We tell you foods that may invite more problems than solving them.
1. Dairy Products
While you may have heard everything good about dairy products, there is a chance that they may be sneakily increasing your cold, causing your body to produce more mucus. Do not completely give up on dairy as it is a good source of protein and vitamin D that can help your body fight against infection. Just ensure limited intake in order to avoid causing excessive mucus.
Do not completely give up on dairy
2. Caffeine Intake
Caffeine loaded foods and drinks like coffee, tea and soft drinks are all diuretics that tend to dehydrate your body and this can lead to much thicker mucus, encouraging cold and cough and a weaker immunity. Avoid caffeinated drinks as much as you can and stay healthy.
Caffeine loaded foods and drinks like coffee dehydrate your body
3. Fried Foods
Fried junk food is not just responsible for adding bulk to your waistline, but may also become a serious cause of cold and cough in your system. The fats and oils present in the fatty foods, which are derived from animal products like butter, lard and omega-6 fatty acids may cause you to produce mucus, further aggravating cold and flu. Stick to healthier foods and focus on improving your immunity system than making it worse.
Try not to have fried foods during cold and cough
4. Histamine Dense Foods
Histamines are chemicals that your immune system makes. They help your body get rid of something that’s not doing any good to you, for instance, allergens. They alert you when you have ingested something that may be allergic to you. So if you have cold or any allergy, histamines prompt thin walls to make more mucus, which can result in mucus formation. You can get a runny or a stuffy nose. There are foods that naturally high in histamines, which can contribute to the problem and make it worse. Avoid avocados, mushrooms, strawberries, dry fruits, alcohol, yogurt, vinegar and fermented foods.
Histamines are chemicals that your immune system makes
5. Alcohol
Alcohol tends to encourage inflammation; further weakening your white blood cells which make it harder for your body to heal. So it is better to skip drinking alcohol that will only worsen your immunity system.
Alcohol tends to encourage inflammation
6. Sugar
Just like alcohol, sugar can too cause serious inflammation and weaken your immunity system making your cold and cough worse. Sweets may be comforting, but try and avoid as much as you can. You don’t want to stay sick while others enjoy their share of sweets.
Just like alcohol, sugar can too cause serious inflammation
Enjoy winters without getting sick just by tweaking your diet a little. Stay healthy!
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