Autumn is upon us, which means the annual cold and flu season is around the corner. Both colds and flu are caused by viruses, which means taking antibiotics for them is ineffective. Colds tend to develop more slowly, while the flu can hit you like a freight train with symptoms that are more severe.
The flu can be more dangerous for people with compromised immune systems. It can result in conditions like pneumonia. Knowing the difference between a cold and the flu can help you manage symptoms and understand when you may need to take things more seriously and seek medical attention.
Fortunately, you have some options for natural supports to bolster your immune system and keep your body better prepared to fight off pathogens. Let’s take a look at some of those supports.
Supplement with vitamins to boost immune system
We don’t always sit down on a regular basis to eat a healthy home-cooked meal. Therefore, it’s wise to consider adding vitamin-rich foods or taking a high-quality supplement to ensure that you get the vitamins necessary for optimum health.
Getting vitamins from eating whole foods is preferable to taking supplements because of the synergistic effects found within the complex biochemistry of plants, animals, and mushrooms. Whole foods contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and compounds in intricate structures and ratios, which means your body can make greater use of their molecular elements. A high-quality supplement is a good option if you feel as though you aren’t getting enough of these critical vitamins in the foods you eat, but it isn’t a replacement for real food. Still, sometimes supplements can provide you with an edge against colds and flu.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid, is one of the best vitamins you can take to boost your immune system. The human body can’t create its own vitamin C, which is why you need to get it through the foods you eat or by taking supplements. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that the body can’t store, which is another reason to get enough of it every day, especially if you feel a cold or flu coming on.
Vitamin C is necessary to help our bodies fight infections, heal wounds, and stimulate the production of white blood cells. It’s also a powerful antioxidant, reducing inflammation and fighting free radicals that can impair health and accelerate aging.
Here are some foods high in vitamin C:
- kale
- broccoli
- bell peppers
- tomatoes
- Camu camu
- acerola cherry
- rose hips
- chili pepper
- guava
- cantaloupe
- oranges
- grapefruit
- kiwis
- strawberries
- papaya
- tangerines
- black currants
- spinach
- snow peas
Vitamin E
Vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin, is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight the free radicals that cause damage to DNA and accelerate aging. Vitamin E helps to reduce inflammation and supports and strengthens immune function. This essential vitamin also dilates blood vessels and makes blood less “sticky,” preventing dangerous clots.
Below are some excellent foods for vitamin E:
- wheat germ oil
- almonds
- peanuts and peanut butter
- hazelnuts
- beet and collard greens
- spinach
- sunflower, safflower, and soybean oil
- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin
- red bell pepper
- kiwi
- mango
tomato
Vitamin D
Our best source of vitamin D is the sun, which we should try to get a little of every day to stay healthy and maintain a strong immune system. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes calcium absorption and helps maintain the body’s calcium and phosphate levels, which are needed to build new bones. Vitamin D helps to reduce inflammation and modulates cell growth, glucose metabolism, and immune function.
Below are some excellent food sources of vitamin D:
- cod liver oil
- salmon
- swordfish
- tuna
- orange juice fortified with vitamin D
- dairy and plant milk fortified with vitamin D
- sardines
- beef liver
- cheddar cheese
- sardines
- cremini mushrooms
- pork chops
- eggs
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and plays a vital role in making white blood cells that fight infections in the body. Vitamin A regulates the immune system, increasing protection from bacterial and viral infections. It’s essential for cellular communication, growth and development, and male and female reproduction. Vitamin A is also vital for eye health and can help to prevent eye disorders such as age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss.
Vitamin A is also essential for healthy surface linings of the eyes, mucus membranes, respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts, which are important barriers that help protect the body against infection. Acquiring vitamin A from food sources has also been shown to lower the risk of many types of cancer.
Foods high in vitamin A include:
- kale
- spinach
- broccoli
- carrots
- sweet potato
- pumpkin
- winter and summer squash
- milk
- eggs
- beef liver
- fish oils
- tomato
- red bell peppers
- mango
- cantaloupe
- tuna
- butternut squash
- lettuce
- pink grapefruit
Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral with functions in the body that include wound healing, immune system function, building proteins and DNA, fertility in adults, and growth in children. Zinc is also needed to maintain our sense of smell and taste.
Zinc is available in lozenges, syrups, and over-the-counter cold remedies. Animal products are the most bioavailable forms of zinc, with oysters containing more zinc per serving than any other food.
Below are some of the best food sources of zinc:
- oysters
- beef
- chicken leg
- firm tofu
- lean pork chops
- squash
- pumpkin seeds
- lentils
- low-fat yogurt
- oatmeal
- shiitake mushrooms
Other Natural Supports
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is a natural antiseptic with powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Tea tree oil is extracted by steam distillation from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to Australia.
Several studies have shown that tea tree oil is effective against influenza. One study found that melaleuca alternifolia showed significant anti-influenza properties. The researchers concluded that tea tree oil could be used preventatively in birds to prevent further outbreaks of avian flu.
Another study found that tea tree oil showed 100 percent inhibition in influenza type A. In addition, 30-minute exposure of type A virus to tea tree oil vapor also caused 100 percent inhibition, meaning the vapor’s medicinal actions had a lasting effect.
A study from the journal Molecules published in 2022 studied the antiviral activity of several essential oils using vapor instead of liquid oil. It found that tea tree oil strongly reduced the viral cytopathic effect of host cells. The cytopathic effect refers to structural changes in host cells caused by a viral invasion. The study also concluded that the most abundant components of the essential oils’ vapor might directly interfere with the influenza virus envelope or mask viral structures necessary for the early stages of viral infection.
Practice good hygiene
One of the most effective ways to avoid a cold or the flu is to practice good hygiene. Microbes thrive just about everywhere, so wash your hands often and avoid touching your face, which allows all those microbes some direct pathways into the body (the mouth, nose, and eyes).
Get into the habit of washing your hands once you get home. If you are particularly susceptible to colds or flu, you may want to change your clothes as well. If you happen to be in a densely populated place with a lot of “high-touch” areas or you have a compromised immune system, this might be a good preventative practice.
If you have small children, after returning from somewhere such as a playground, where many other children play and touch surfaces, changing your children’s clothes when they get home and showering them can help keep infectious agents to a minimum.
Final thoughts
Autumn is a beautiful season, but you don’t need to be anxious because of the upcoming annual increase in cold and flu viruses circulating. There are numerous ways you can bolster your immune system, such as eating your vitamins and minerals, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and staying warm to name a few. Rather than relying on medications, it’s far better for the body and spirit to live preventatively to keep ourselves healthy year-round so viruses don’t have a chance to make you sick.