Foods that fight the flu

7 flu-fighting foods, according to the October AARP bulletin:

1. Black-eyed peas. Rich in zinc, as are pinto beans, peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds and wheat germ.

2. Carrots. Contains beta-carotene, which wards off respiratory infections. So do dark-green vegetables, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash.

3. Tea. Green, black and oolong. Contains quercetin and L-teanine. Herbal teas don't.

4. Yogurt. Contains probiotics. So do cottage cheese, Korean dish kimci and sauerkraut.

5. Tomatoes. Rich in Vitamin C and selenium.

6. Mushrooms. Boosts natural killer cells to ward off viral infections.

7. Almonds. Contains Vitamin E. Works best as chopped almonds, almond butter or almond oil.

Beneficial byproducts of medications

We hear bad things about the side effects of medication, particularly from class-action attorneys. But the July issue of AARP magazine lists good things about the side effects of some medication, based on scientific studies.

1. The flu shot provides heart disease and stroke prevention. The study shows a 48% reduction for those who have flu shots.

2. Statins to lower cholesterol. A 15% lower risk of cancer death.

3. Metformin to treat diabetes. A 17% lower risk of breast cancer.

4. Beta-blockers to lower blood pressure. 40% fewer Alzheimer's disease lesions.

5. Levodopa and doparmine agonists for Parkinson's disease. A surge in creativity.

6. Adalimumab (Humina) to treat psoriasis. Depression test scores improve.

7. Aspirin to prevent heart attacks. A 57% lower risk of death.

8. Antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil). Lower risk of heart failure.

Obviously, you don't take any of these without your doctor's approval and prescriptions. But it's a reminder that there's reward and risk in everything we take, and everything we do.