Chicken out!

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Cold and flu season is here, but before you cook up a pot of chicken soup to

soothe your sore throat, you might want to consider this: According to a 1994

Time magazine article, at least 60 percent of all poultry in the United States

is contaminated with salmonella, campylobacter, or other bacteria. Chicken also

contains as much cholesterol as beef (25 mg per ounce), and even skinless

chicken is nearly one-quarter fat -- something your struggling immune system

doesn't need! Chicken soup can also weigh heavily on your conscience: Birds

destined to become " food " spend their entire lives in dark, crowded sheds until

they are shipped to the slaughterhouse.

 

Fortunately, you can " chicken out " and still relieve cold and flu symptoms.

According to researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, vegetable

soup is as effective as chicken soup at easing the inflammation-producing action

of white blood cells. Here are a few tips to help allay your aches and spare the

birds:

 

* To relieve the nasal congestion that accompanies a cold or flu, eat something

hot and spicy. Horseradish, spicy mustard, and hot chili peppers all break up

congestion and wash away irritants. In fact, capsaicin, the heat-producer in hot

chili peppers, is chemically similar to the expectorants found in nearly 75

percent of all commercial cough syrups and cold tablets. Dr. Irwin Ziment, a

pulmonary specialist at UCLA, says, " When you're congested, it's better to eat

hot salsa than to suck on a menthol cough drop. "

 

* Garlic scares away more than just vampires. Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots,

and other members of the allium family have immune-boosting properties that ward

off bacteria and viruses. A microbiologist at Brigham Young University confirmed

that garlic and onions kill the viruses responsible for colds and flu.

Spontaneous Healing author Andrew Weil, M.D., says, " The best home remedy I have

found for colds is to eat several cloves of raw garlic at the first onset of

symptoms. ... Cut in chunks and swallow them whole like pills. " Many Chinese,

who have long recognized the healing powers of garlic and onions, consume up to

a pound of these foods each week.

 

* Remember what Mom used to say: Eat your veggies! Foods rich in beta carotene,

including spinach, chard, broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and

apricots, are extremely effective against bacterial and viral infections. Red

and green bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi fruit, oranges, cranberries,

tomatoes, cauliflower, and other foods high in vitamin C are good choices for

building immunity.

 

* In a University of Wisconsin study, cold sufferers taking 500 milligrams of

vitamin C three times a day suffered about half as many symptoms as those taking

none.

 

* Feed a cold, starve a fever -- or is it the other way around? In any event,

give them both something to drink. When you're suffering from a cold or flu,

drink at least six glasses a day of clear liquids like vegetable broth, herbal

teas, and water, but be wary of dairy -- milk aggravates respiratory congestion

for many people. Some like it hot, but viruses don't: Hot liquids impair

viruses' ability to reproduce.

 

* Echinacea and goldenseal can make colds milder and shorter-lived. Look for

these herbs in health food stores.

 

 

Chicken Out! Soup

The next time you need a lift, treat yourself to a steaming bowl of this

chicken-friendly soup.

 

* 4 cups boiling water

* 2 cups cooked noodles

* 1/2 cup diced carrots

* 1/2 cup diced onions

* 1/4 cup chopped celery

* 2 Tbsp. corn oil

* 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

* 1 Tbsp. " poultry seasoning "

* 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

* Minced fresh garlic, to taste

* Salt and black pepper, to taste

 

Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 to 15

minutes. Makes 6 servings.

 

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