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Fighting the Flu Naturally

Eating Healthy to Prevent Illness During Pregnancy

By Teri Brown

Being pregnant comes with its own set of physical challenges. Morning sickness, swollen ankles and a sore back are just a few of the symptoms that go along with your growing bundle of joy. Try adding the flu or the common cold on top of it and your pregnancy can get downright miserable.

It's generally thought that there is no way to avoid the flu during the flu season. But some moms and a growing number of dietitians seem to think there is.

Jane Thorpe, a pregnant mother of four from Edmonton, Canada, believes a well-balanced meal using foods that are as fresh as possible helps her stay healthy while pregnant.

"I think a healthy lifestyle definitely has helped," says Thorpe. "During flu season, I drink more orange juice, eat more iron-rich foods and try to eat more zinc, etc. We also eat more soups and stews with onions and garlic to fight off germs."

If Thorpe is near someone who is sick, she adds extra garlic to foods just before she serves them. If she feels as if she may be coming down with something she will eat a clove or two of raw garlic with cheese and crackers.

"I recommend garlic to everyone," says Thorpe. "It really is a miracle food. The downside is the smell. I would rather smell bad of garlic for a day than have a cold during pregnancy."

Sarah Saito, a Tigar, Ore, mother of one with another on the way, believes her eating habits have definitely had an effect on her health while she is pregnant. She and her husband choose to eat only organic foods.

"It's been part political statement, part taste and partly allergy driven," says Saito. "I'd say we've been organic for three years now."

When asked if she believes eating organically has helped her avoid the flu and colds while she is pregnant, she adamantly agrees. "We used to catch a cold with each season and we don't do that anymore," says Saito. "Our bodies are strong enough that we don't tend to catch the colds that are always going around."

Want to see more?

• 9 Tips for a Fit Pregnancy: A Guide to Nine Months of Healthful Habits
• Overcoming Morning Sickness: Tips From Moms Who Have Been There
• A Major Pain: Migraine Headaches and Pregnancy
• Talk about it!