Get rid of the sniffles

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With the change in weather and the nip in the air, you've caught that dreaded cold. We know how annoying that can be. Your nose gets stuffy, your chest feels heavy and you keep sniffling all day. Medicines only suppress the symptoms for a while but they don't get rid of it.
So what do you do? You can feed that cold with these foods.

Citrus fresh

This would include grapes, sweet lime, amla, oranges and lemon. You could also take vitamin C pills. Nutritionist Annie D’Costa says vitamin C braces your immune system for viral attacks.

“You don’t have to bother about having too much vitamin C. It’s easily washed away through peeing and perspiration,” says D’Costa.

Soup it up!

Chicken soup is good not only for the soul but also for the body. According to D’Costa, it helps melt the congestion in your chest and nose, and soothes your throat. “You can also have a vegetable stalk soup or a clear peas and pumpkin soup. Add a little pepper and lime for taste, but avoid other spices,” she says.

Fruity fun

Just make sure they aren’t cold. Dietician Nalini Kuderi says the best time to eat fruits is at the start of the day. “There will be maximum absorption of nutrients,” she explains. Stay away from bananas and melons. They cool the body and will aggravate your cold.

Veggie tales

The trick is to sauté your vegetables so that the nutrients are retained. Don’t eat salads with cucumbers and tomatoes as they will only aggravate your cold. Bitter gourd cools the body too.

“Have freshly-mashed potatoes. They help restore the heat in your body,” says Kuderi.

Iron it out

When you have a cold, your body’s immunity is lowered and it becomes susceptible to other illnesses. “Eat green leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens and lentils.

They are rich in iron,” says D’Costa. This will help you fight the cold and will keep other illnesses at bay.

Your body looses a lot of water when you have a cold. Drink lime juice and at least eight glasses of water every day.

So instead of just sleeping it out, try these and you’ll be just fine and going about your chores in no time.