"Super" Foods You Should Avoid During the Cold and Flu Season

Written by Irina Wardas on November 20th, 2008

Holidays are here. It is a very stressful time for all of us. It is also cold and flu season when we have to take care of ourselves to stay healthy.

If you want not to catch a cold, reduce stress, have more energy, sleep better, or even to loose or at least not to gain some weight during the holiday season, you need to know not only which foods to eat but also which foods to avoid to survive the busiest time of the year.

Did you notice that we always look for super foods to be healthier and feel better? But what about foods that might make us super sick?

These are super unhealthy foods which add more stress on our system and are super harmful for our health:

Hydrogenated oils

Sugars

Artificial sweeteners

High-fructose syrup

Flour products

Refined grains

Junk foods

Fast foods

Processed foods

Caffeine

Alcohol

Tobacco

*** The trans fatty acids most fast and processed foods contain actually reduce circulation and raise blood pressure, keeping your body in a constant state of stress.

*** Alcohol upsets the blood sugar level and disturbs sleep patterns.

*** Caffeine boosts the production of the stress hormone adrenaline.

*** Sweets, raise your insulin levels increasing serotonin for a little while, and then serotonin level goes down very fast turning you into cranky and irritable person.

Did you know that average American consumes more than 190 pounds of sugar a year, and 3/4 of it are “hidden” in processed foods?

Be aware of hidden sugars in the following items:

Breakfast cereals

Salad dressings

Luncheon meats

Canned fruits