Cold & Flu Season Tips (Plus a Recipe for Vegan Hot and Sour Soup!)

1. Frequent hand washing is your best defense against germs – Use soap and warm water, frequently throughout the day and as soon as you get home. Each family member should have their own hand towel, and these should be changed frequently. (A great tip is to give each person their own color towel, so nobody gets mixed up!)

2. Hand sanitizers are the root of some controversy. Don’t use them as an alternative to soap and water, however if your hands are dirty and you cannot wash, a sanitizer is better than nothing. For a sanitizer to be effective at killing germs, it must be an alcohol-based product with a content of 60% or greater. Otherwise, you are getting no effect.
Also, avoid products that contain triclosan. The CDC says “Triclosan-containing products don’t provide any disease protection beyond what you get from washing with soap and water…and research has shown that triclosan can disrupt the endocrine system.

3. Zinc lozenges, as opposed to pills or capsules, are what you want. This is because zinc has been proven to kill germs on contact. If you have a sore throat, suck on a zinc lozenge and let it come in contact with the irritated tissues for as long as possible – so don’t chew it!

4. Vitamin C – If you are already sick or under the weather, you can take 500 mg. of Vitamin C with bioflavonoids every 2-4 hours. Bioflavonoids, a fruit derivative, enhance the absorption of vitamin C.  When you start to urinate more frequently you know your body has had enough. Your body will eliminate the excess vitamin C it doesn’t need.

5. Chicken Soup, also known as “Liquid Penicillin,” is not to be underestimated when you are under the weather! A bonafide study (by Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha) has shown that Chicken Soup inhibits the movement of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell that defends against infection.
Whatever your family recipe,

 it pays to have some in your freezer just in case you get a cold or the flu. As with any other 

recipe, the integrity of your ingredients will be reflected in the overall result. Free-range, pastured chicken is best (organic simply refers to feed). Organic vegetables are preferable, however studies tell us that any fruits and vegetables are better than having none at all. Fresh garlic added right before you eat the soup will serve as a natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent.

6. Vegan Hot and Sour Soup is my go-to soup whenever cold or flu hits. Full of warming herbs and spices such as garlic, ginger and hot pepper, you can just feel its soothing properties start to heal whatever ails you. Not as complicated as it looks; I’ve included all my shortcuts gleaned from years of making this soup (Note: my kids just call this “Yummy Soup”!)

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Vegan Hot and Sour Soup

This recipe can be easily doubled...and it should, because it's great to keep some in the freezer just in case you need it!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shiitakes (if dried, soak in boiling water for 20 minutes. These are best!) You can also use fresh shitakes or, if you prefer, another type of mushroom or a mix.
• 1/2 can bamboo shoots - Buy pre-sliced bamboo shoots to save yourself the extra work! (You can freeze remainder in a ziplock bag for the next batch.)
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 -2 tbsp fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 4 - 8 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into small, thin strips (how much you want is up to you)
• 6 cups vegetable stock (I use organic, available in most markets)
• 3 tbsp organic tamari (I use low sodium)
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp chili paste
• 2 tsp organic corn starch mixed in 4 tsp. water (do not mix until ready to use!)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 chopped scallions
• 1 tbsp dried cilantro, or chopped fresh cilantro to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat peanut oil in a large soup pot. 
• Add minced garlic and ginger and lightly sauté. 
• After one minute add stock, tamari, vinegar, sugar, chili paste and mushrooms, including mushroom liquid. (Mushrooms should be sliced thin! If using dried shitakes - preferable - squeeze remaining liquid into the soup, then cut thin mushroom strips with a kitchen scissor. Very easy method!) Bring to a slow boil, then simmer.
• Add pressed tofu and bamboo shoots. Simmer.
• Add corn starch and water slush down the side of pot, stir well, and cook for 5 minutes more to thicken. 
• Stir in salt and pepper to taste. 
• Ladle in bowls and top with fresh scallions and cilantro prior to serving.

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