Okay you probably guessed it ..  I am a GoT fan girl !!)

But on a serious note, the risk of flu and colds increases exponentially during winter. Infact 2017 was the worst flu season as per NHS and this year is expected to be similar.

There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of flu. One of them is including those fruits and vegetables that help your body naturally fight symptoms of flu & cold.

Here are our top 4 food items to beat off the flu and stay fighting fit for the holidays !!

Turmeric:

This beautiful bright coloured spice has been all over the health blogs and news for the last couple of years. But before it became popular among the millennials it has been used for centuries in Eastern medicine as a strong anti-inflammatory. It also acts as an anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent that boosts the overall immune system.

How do we like to take it: We love making a warming delicious turmeric chai. Here’s our simple recipe - Add ginger, turmeric, cardamom pods, and some fennel seeds and cloves. Simmer this mixture for 5 minutes. Strain it and drink as it is or add some honey/maple syrup for sweetness.

Ginger:

Ginger is not just for gingerbread cookies !!  This tongue tingling herb has been part of Ayurveda and other alternative medicines for centuries. In Ayurveda, ginger is used for helping with conditions like congestion and runny noses. Ginger’s other benefits include stimulating cells that help destroy harmful pathogens, preventing infections, and acting as a virus killing agent.

How do we like to take it: Add it to your curries or soups for some flavour. Or make a tea with ginger, lemon and honey/maple syrup

Root vegetables:

Root vegetables, like carrot, beets and turnips, are able to withstand harsh winter conditions and hence are generally cheaper during this time of the year. But along with being easy on your pockets, it has a load of vitamins like Vitamin A, C, K and E, along with loads of fibre, iron and antioxidants. This combination of potent nutrients helps the body fight off common illnesses and cold like conditions.

How do we like to take it: A hearty stew is our go to option. Mix your root vegetables with any other veggies and cook yourself a simple stew and feed your body the warm goodness of these vegetables.

Citrus fruits:

Citrus fruits and winter go hand in hand and they definitely provide a dose of sunshine during wintertime. They are packed with Vitamin C, which is one of the most important immunity boosting nutrient out there. But in addition to Vitamin C, they also come with loads of B-Vitamins, Phosphorous, potassium and copper. Not to mention they taste delicious !

How do we like to take it: We like eating them as nature intended !! Eat them raw. They are delicious and juicy and are perfect as they are ( Don’t worry not going to break out into a song .. )

There you go, our top 4 must haves for this cold season.

Have we missed anything? What are your winter must haves ? Let us know in the comments below, we would love to include it in our pantry too :)