Chicken Soup for Your Nose
Spring is in the air, the sun is shining, flowers are blooming and my sinuses are clogged! I love Spring but it takes some helping from the foods I eat to help me maintain a sunny disposition 🙂 For me this season, an old friend has helped me keep congestion at a minimum. That old friend is chicken broth with a pinch of salt. Besides keeping dairy and flour to a minimum, chicken broth has come to save me during this beautiful spring season. It’s not just a folklore remedy for the common cold and flu, but many studies have shown that “chicken broth acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils — immune system cells that participate in the body’s inflammatory response. Second, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus, helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.”
Convinced? If not, and you want to experiment on yourself I have included a light, fresh and ridiculously easy to make vegetable soup that includes chicken broth. Enjoy and Breathe Easy.
Fresh Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
- Chopped raw vegetables, such as 1 onion, 6 celery and 6 carrots (or whatever odds and ends you have in your crisper)
- Approx 4lbs Potatoes
- 1 tbsp oil
- 24 ounces of Chicken Stock
- Fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, oregano), to serve
Directions:
- Fry the chopped raw vegetables with the potatoes, peeled and cubed, in a little oil for a few minutes until beginning to soften.
- Cover with the stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Blend until smooth, then season. Serve with some fresh herbs.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
― Thích Nhất Hạnh
