There are many tips on how to avoid cold and flu season: Wash your hands. Get a flu shot. Stop touching your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This season, add what\u2019s on your plate to the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaintaining a healthy diet is important to help keep your immune system in top shape,\u201d said Gail Rampersaud, a registered dietitian nutritionist. \u201cThe immune system has many moving parts that require a wide variety of nutrients to work effectively. Consuming a diet rich in nutrient-dense food is essential to support the immune system during cold and flu season, and all year long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For advice on what to eat, Rampersaud suggests turning to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy as well as a variety of protein, such as seafood, lean meats, legumes, nuts and seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seem overwhelming? Try to focus on one area at a time, Rampersaud said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the Dietary Guidelines name vitamin C as an under-consumed nutrient, meaning that many people are not getting enough of this key immune system-supporting nutrient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A simple fix: Drink a glass of Florida Orange Juice. An 8-ounce serving provides more than 100 percent of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin C and also delivers other key nutrients such as potassium, folate and thiamin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another area to focus on might be the amount of added sugar you consume, Rampersaud said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Dietary Guidelines recommend cutting back on added sugar, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, where most added sugars reside,\u201d Rampersaud said. \u201cMake your beverage choices work harder for you by replacing carbonated added-sugar beverages with ones that will give you more nutrients, such as 100 percent fruit juice or low-fat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n