Hopefully, you’ve detected the below-freezing weather by now. With the start of the new semester, taking care of yourself and your health this flu season may have slid down your lists of priorities. No worries though, keeping your immune system up doesn’t mean bathing yourself in hand sanitizer or stocking up on all the Emergen-C you can get your hands on. You can actually eat your way to feeling energetic and healthy! Here are a few ways to get started:
Oatmeal: Reconsider your breakfast choices! As an option jam-packed with nutrients, oatmeal is a great source of fiber and immune-boosting zinc. In short, this quick and easy breakfast alternative is a great way to keep your immune system up and running while giving you some much-needed energy in the mornings.
Broccoli: This veggie is full of Vitamin-C, a must-have to ward off the germs that cold and flu season brings. Added bonus: the high amounts of Vitamin A and K in broccoli offset a Vitamin D deficiency that comes every winter when you can no longer soak up the sun in below freezing temperatures. Whether you add this green vegetable to your salad or wait it out in the stir-fry line, make sure to add broccoli to your meals this winter.
Cucumbers: In a season of dry skin and chapped lips, a simple fix can be found outside of religiously applying your lip balm. Cucumbers are 96% water, so this cool fruit (yes, a fruit) proves to be extremely hydrating during the long, cold, and, most likely, dry winter coming up. In addition to drinking your daily dose of H2O, stop by Kimball’s salad bar and fill a bowl with this refreshing snack, your body will thank you.
Green Tea: You’ve probably all heard that “green tea is healthy”; here’s a little information to back that up. Green tea has caffeine, a smaller amount than what is found in coffee, but still enough to produce an effect when you most need it (1am in Dinand, anyone??). This caffeine, in combination with organic elements also found in the tea, can help improve brain function, which may be much needed at this point in the semester. So why not stop by Cool Beans and grab a green tea to go, you can reap the health benefits and maybe manage to stay warm on your treks across campus this winter.
Red Grapefruit: Like oranges, red grapefruits are full of Vitamin C. The benefits of this fruit, due to all that Vitamin C, includes helping to reduce cold symptoms and even ward off a cold completely. Even better, half a grapefruit amounts to a little less than half of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C! So make your way to the fruit bar and welcome the newest addition to your breakfast routine.
Eating seasonally doesn’t have to be vitamin deficient. Do a little research and find ways to stay happy and healthy on the Hill this winter!