Crops to help you beat a cold

Seasonal spikes in pressure, temperature and wind can irritate your nasal passages and block airways. This compromises your immune system’s built-in defences.

A study by Yale School of Medicine found that if you reduce temperature from 37 to 33 degrees Celsius it can limit immune response. This allows viruses to thrive; so, your body is better defended when the weather is warmer.

However, if your immune system is fighting fit, it’s perfectly capable of fending off bacterial and viral advances. You just need to boost immunity and inhibit intruders from interrupting you during the cold season.

A regular intake of vitamins is considered vital for optimal health. But it’s widely recognised that a healthy individual can obtain enough from a well-rounded and nutritious diet. Some vitamins have stronger curative powers than others.

There are three main levels of immune system defences. Vitamins A, C, and E aid in enhancing the skin barrier function. Vitamins B6, B9, B12, A and D are thought to assist the other two levels of immune defences—cell production and antibodies.

Some research, however, suggests that acidic equilibrium is the key and too much acid in our diet. Such as those present in meats and dairy, which can throw our bodies off kilter. Vast amounts of fruits and vegetables are alkaline and restore the balance.

So, if you’re acid sensitive, beans, basil, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and courgettes will increase alkalinity to get you back on track.

Of all the crops in your care, purple-sprouting broccoli reigns supreme and is still cropping now. This is perfect for a pre-winter windfall of well-being. If you’ve got plenty of broccoli growing, you’re sitting on a health-loaded goldmine of vitamin and mineral content.

It’s best eaten fresh, so get planning your menu now. Blend it into soups, pop it into pasta, stir fry or add fresh as a crunchy addition to cold salads. Of course, any additional stocks can be frozen and used later.

So, if broccoli isn’t in your crop rotation yet, plan for it next year by sowing in April.

Though not perhaps your first call, red bell peppers can hold up to three times the amount of vitamin C than an orange.

And leafy veg, like kale, are rich in this resource too. In fact, my cold-fighting favourites are spinach and cabbage as they’re filled with iron (to help fight fatigue) and antioxidants.

These influence immunity by getting rid of free radicals—those mischievous molecules that damage healthy cells.

Garlic in its purest form is antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic and antifungal too. It needs a chilling period for optimal growth.

Therefore, plant this powerhouse now by starting in a cold frame and planting out in spring.

Rich in antioxidising manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, garlic has a lot to offer in the way of immune system support. And it’s so easy to incorporate into your cooking recipes.

Try to grow an onion or chilli surplus over the summer, as harvests available now can be frozen without blanching.

Onion is thought to fight against candida but also boosts circulation and lessens inflammation.

Chilli peppers contain capsaicin, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms.

Also, extracts of culinary herbs like peppermint, thyme, oregano, and fennel could be potent against antibacterial attacks too.