Get-Better Soup

I was home sick today.

This is a rare occurrence for me. Like, I'm pretty sure it hasn't happened more than a couple times in the last 10 years type of "rare occurrence". I'm not good at sitting still at home, but today I slept & slept & slept. Between naps, I threw a bunch of stuff in the crockpot that I hoped would make me better, and then went back to sleep. Come dinnertime, the chicken noodle soup concoction was actually delicious. Here's the list of things thrown into the crockpot, and why:

• Chicken broth: Homemade from local, free-range chicken. Homemade broth has less salt than the boxed or canned store-bought varieties, so I threw some in- but I was able to control how much salt was in the soup, making it healthier. From Wise Traditions: "Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily-not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain"
• Carrots: Again, these are local, organic carrots, so no nasty pesticides in my soup. I grated the carrots to add to the soup. From World's Healthiest Foods, "Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A. In addition, they are a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium." I need al the vitamins I can get, especially Vitamin C, to get better!
• Celery: This was homegrown celery, which ended up being smaller than the typicalstalks, so when I harvested it, I cut it up & froze it for soups such as this one. Again, from WHFoods: "Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like celery may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms; over 20 scientific studies have concluded that vitamin C is a cold-fighter."
• Kale: I through this in primarily because I had it on hand, and it is considered a "superfood" so I knew it couldn't hurt. Again, this is local, organic kale. From The Food Paper: "Just one cup of raw kale contains 15% of the recommended daily value of calcium and Vitamin B6, 40% of the magnesium, 180% of the Vitamin A, 200% of the Vitamin C and a whopping 1020% of the Vitamin K. The boost in immune support and antioxidant protection provided by these vitamins could help ward off the colds and flus of the season, not to mention more serious diseases."
• Garlic: I added about 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic to the soup, knowing that it is specifically recommended for colds & flus. WHFoods explains why: "allicin, one of the sulfur-compounds responsible for garlic's characteristic odor, is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral agent that joins forces with vitamin C to help kill harmful microbes. In research studies, allicin has been shown to be effective not only against common infections like colds, flu, stomach viruses, and Candida yeast, but also against powerful pathogenic microbes including tuberculosis and botulism." I hate to admit it, but this was jarred garlic. I use what I have on hand.
  
• Ginger: I know that ginger is another food suggested to help fight the flu, but I only had the powdered form. I sprinkled just a little, figuring it couldn't hurt, but I didn't want the taste to be overpowering.
• Chicken and egg noodles: Obviously, "chicken noodle soup" needs these. Chicken provides protein and Vitamin B for energy. Egg noodles give the soup some heft, to fill me up.
  
• Of course the soup is served hot: Sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps clear up congestion.

What do you eat when you're sick?