Six affordable foods a Russian dietitian says may help you dodge autumn colds

Cold season is here, and your shopping basket might be a better ally than you think. Russian dietitian and gastroenterologist Nuria Dianova says the strength of your immune system depends on a balanced diet. She shared a list of affordable foods that can help lower the risk of autumn colds.

1. Vitamin A for your mucous membranes

Vitamin A protects the mucous membranes (the moist lining of your nose and throat) from viruses. Good sources are cod liver, eggs, carrots and pumpkin.

2. Zinc from pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, which Dianova lists among the foods that support the immune system during cold season. A handful makes an easy snack.

3. Vitamin C from citrus and berries

Citrus fruit, peppers, rose hips, sea buckthorn and cranberries all contain plenty of vitamin C. Dianova says they help strengthen immunity when colds are going around.

4. Omega-3 to calm inflammation

This group of polyunsaturated fatty acids makes cell walls less permeable and keeps excessive inflammation in check. Look for it in cod liver, herring, mackerel, sardines, red fish, walnuts and seeds.

5. Natural antibiotics in your kitchen

Onions, garlic, horseradish, citrus, ginger and cranberries contain phytoncides, natural antibiotic substances. In micro-doses, Dianova says, they help prevent seasonal colds.

6. How much is enough?

You don't need to overdo it. According to Dianova, eating fish twice a week, two or three walnuts a day and one portion of herring a week is enough to significantly reduce the risk of ARVI (acute respiratory viral infections, Russia's umbrella term for common colds and flu-like illness).

Dianova has also said that healthy eating can extend life by roughly 25 to 40 percent, and that food affects health especially strongly in old age. So the autumn shopping list may pay off well beyond this winter.