Feb 8

Written by: web master
2/8/2009 3:44 PM

Got a cold? Hoping to dodge that flu bug going around the office? You may have heard the advice to drink orange juice and pump up on Vitamin C. This is great advice! But don’t forget Vitamin C’s symbiotic friend, Vitamin B.

These two nutrients, when taken together, have greater effect on maintaining your health than either of them alone. Luckily, both are often found in the same foods. 

First, a little science: Vitamin C oxygenates the blood, which makes it flow better, which gives you better circulation. Vitamin B helps your body maintain moisture and reduce inflammation. The combination of these two vitamin buddies gives your body better circulation and hydration, and it fights infection from taking over. Another nice effect of Vitamin B is it’s a stress reliever, and since colds sometimes come on when you are stressed, the Vitamin B gives you an extra shield of health protection.

Where can you find these Vitamin Buddies together in the same natural package?

Any fruit or vegetable that is red, yellow or orange colored:
tomato, orange, red and yellow bell pepper, sweet potato, canteloupe, strawberries, beets.

Dark green produce:
avocado, broccoli, brussels sprouts, dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, dandelion greens, watercress, beet greens.

One way to tell if you need additional Vitamins B and C is if your lips are dryer than usual. This is a key indicator that you need to hydrate, bump up on your B’s and C’s to avoid that flu bug.

That’s it for today.  I’m chef Bonita Woods.  Eat happy, eat healthy, and have fun doing it!
 

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