Looking for quality English-Chinese or Chinese-English translation?
Send an enquiry
| |
home / soup is good / Soups for colds
Are there really soups for colds?
I hate taking flu or cold medications. They make me groggy and weak all over.
The doctors said that this is so I can rest. I don't think it is true. They are side-effects of synthetic drugs that even doctors cannot eliminate.
Have you been prescribed a certain medication that has to be accompanied by antacid? I have.
The doctor told me the medication is very strong and may cause side effects like increased stomach acidity, so he prescribes antacid to counteract. I used to accept this kind of explanation.
But not anymore.
The medication which is supposed to cure me is going to cause another health problem?! Hmmm! What more, I have to pay for the antacid.
So, what does this have to do with soups for colds?
Let me share a little story, a true story ...
A severely blocked nose, a thudding headache, a dry cough
I was miserable, I was in a foul mood. I was sick. I hate being sick, I hate having a nose sore from all the sneezing and wiping. I hate the thudding and thumping going on in my head. I hate the lethargy.
I wish they would just go away and leave me alone.
Wordlessly, my grandmother placed a big bowl of soup in front of me. It was a simple clear chinese soup made with potatoes, carrots and pork ribs. Here, drink this, granny said simply.
I was in no mood to eat. I wasn't hungry. I have no appetite. I just wanted to sulk!
Pieces of cheery orange colour peeked out from the soup and beckoned to me. oh, okay, I will have a little sip, just to please granny. I thought to myself.
That little sip brought a comforting warmth that travel from my sore throat all the way to the stomach. How wonderful a warm stomach feels. I went for the carrot and potato next. They were tender but not mushy, the potato melted in my mouth. To my delight, I found sweet plump chinese wolfberries (goji berries) lurking in the depth of the soup.
I finished the entire bowl of soup in no time. Aahhh…a wave of contentment washed over me. It was the best soup in the world...lovingly prepared by my granny. And ...
... a little miracle happened.
My blocked nose eased, my headache subsided, the sun came out and so did my smile...a contented happy little smile.
Psychological effect? Maybe, but I definitely felt better.
|
I would rather enjoy a nice hot bowl of chinese soup to ease my flu symptoms than pop pills made with chemicals that I cannot even pronounce.
Why are chinese soups good against colds?
- Chinese soups deliver much-needed nutrients to the sick body to help it fight off "nasty invaders". It can also bring relief to cold or flu symptoms like blocked noses and sore throats. The gentle heat from the soup helps to dilate the blood vessels near the nasal passage and throat.
- It is a comfort food for those who are feeling blue from the discomforts of being sick and also helps to whet the appetite, and kickstart the sluggy digestive system.
-
Finally, soups for colds can play a role in prevention, the natural way. They are not medicine that you only eat when you are sick. You can have soups for colds even though you don't have the flu. They are just food, good-for-you food.
I am not against pills and medications. In fact, I benefitted from vitamin c when I was younger and very susceptible to colds. I was down with cold or flu almost once a month. I still remember the sweet "treats" in the form of round orange tablets which greatly improve my health.
Later I found out that I was deficient in Vitamin C which is why the supplement helped me tremendously. If I was not deficient, the effect might not have been that significant.
In short, I just prefer natural remedies that work together with my body's own immune system to fight illnesses, not take over the fight.
Now, I try to learn more about my own body and how it functions before buying any kind of supplements. What works for someone else may not work for me.
But I believe chinese soups are good for everyone.
|
|
