Naughty and Nice List for Cold and Flu Season

Keep reading below, or check out Dr. Fleury’s full interview on Global TV to learn more about her holiday naughty and nice list.

First, let’s just jump in and discuss the “naughty” list when it comes to foods and lifestyle that might not be helpful during cold and flu season:

Sugar – 75 grams of sugar can suppress your immune system within 30 minutes of consuming it, and the effects can last for 5 hours. That’s the equivalent of a can of coke and a chai latte, or a bowl of cereal and sweetened yogurt.
Late nights – Missing out on sleep lowers your white cell count and your ability to fight infections.
Alcohol – Alcohol can cause bacteria to grow in your gut, and since 70 percent of your immune system is in the gut, this can put a damper on your body’s ability to fight other infections and illnesses.

So what is on the “nice” list when it comes to helping to doing good things for our physical and mental health during cold and flu season?

Water – Staying hydrated helps keep our mucus membranes in our digestive and respiratory tracts healthy and more resilient when it comes to the various things floating around in our environment this time of year.
Extra vitamins and minerals – You don’t have to look very hard to find good solid evidence for the use of zinc, vitamins C, A, and D and magnesium when it comes to this time of year. We just don’t get enough of these in our diet or environment.
Gut health – Support your gut health with probiotics, fibre and lots of colourful veggies and fruits, plus some homemade bone broth. Not only does this help us feel nourished and satiated during the cold months, but if you’re busy eating all this good stuff, you likely don’t have much room left for junk food!

Dr Fleury, ND can help you tailor your nutrition plan specifically to you. Book an appointment here.