The months of January and February are behind us and now we’re heading into
Spring and if you think that you’re chances of catching a cold or getting sick
are quite low, think again.

Many people catch colds in March and April and if you want to stay cold and
flu-free, there are a number of things you can do.
The things you can do to lower your odds:
Clean up your diet.
Put away the treats you enjoyed from Oct. to Feb. (Valentine’s day)
Eat more fruit, vegetables, lean means, poultry, fish, beans, nuts and seeds.
Look into following the Mediterranean diet.

Eat less to no sugar.
Dr. Oz. says that sugar is the top offender when it comes to your immune
system. A tsp. in a cup of coffee or tea each day is okay, but anymore,
and you may do serious damage to your immune system.
Want a sweet treat like a cookie or brownie? Go online and type recipes for
brownies, cookies or cakes made without sugar.

Move More.
It’s getting warmer, so there should be no reason, you can’t walk outdoors.
Unable to get outdoors and walk? Look into beginner’s yoga or indoor walking
videos online. (Youtube).

Eat Salad.
A green salad made with loads of greens and other veggies will do wonders
for your immune system, and if you tire of green salads, make a warm salad.

A warm salad?
Yes, a salad made with sweet potatoes.
Why sweet potatoes?
The orange tubers strengthen lungs.
That’s right-sweet potatoes are loaded with carotenoids, compounds that
strengthen and heal the delicate mucous membranes lining the nose, sinuses
and lungs. Eat a small sweet potato each day and you’ll halve your risk of
winter illnesses and recover 40% faster if you do get sick.
So, if you’re a fan of salad and sweet potatoes, then this is the recipe for you.
Warm Sweet Potato Salad!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. of sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4″ pieces
4 slices of bacon
1/4 cup of bottled oil-and-vinegar dressing
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions, (red or yellow)
2 Tbs. of parsley, (chopped)
1 small clove of garlic, minced
To make:
In a pot, mix potatoes with enough salted water to cover by 1″;
over high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low;
cook until tender, 7 to 8 mins. Drain. Spread over a baking sheet;
let cook slightly.
In a nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat, flipping,
until crisp, 4 min. per side; let cool, then crumble. In a large bowl,
combine dressing, onion, parsley and garlic. Add the potatoes; stir
until evenly coated. Top with bacon pieces.
Calories per serving-150, Carbs 17g. Protein 3g.

And one last tip:
To really bolster your immune system and keep colds at bay, you
can also add some other “superfoods” to your daily menus.
The foods:
Berries- Raspberries, black, straw and blueberries.
Garlic
Eggs- especially the yolks
Honey- Buy a top quality dark honey
Wine- No, that’s not a misprint. Just make sure you stop at 1 glass.

Sources:
* British Journal of Pharmacology
* New Zealand Research Team
* Taste of Home Magazine

Please pass this article (and recipe) on to friends and family who seem to
catch a cold (or two) in the warmer months.
Share it over at Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, (stories), Reddit,
Pinterest, Tik-Tok, Snapchat and Twitter.