The definition of motherhood must contain a line about feeding chicken soup to a child with a cold. Without scientific studies and statistics, Moms have known that some foods had the power to cure. Now scientists are finding out just how big a part food can play in the prevention and treatment of certain ailments. Armed with some of this knowledge, parents may be able to reduce their trips to the doctor's office and drug store, save a few dollars and ultimately contribute to the longevity and wellness of their children.

Many of the illnesses that benefit from the use of particular food as a remedy include bacterial infections, colds and flu, asthma and allergies as well as cancer and heart disease. Foods can also act as an immune system stimulant and thus act as a preventative aid.

To start with, a child's overall good health depends on a well balanced diet of variety and moderation. Beyond that, specific foods, or more accurately the nutrients or a non-nutritive substance in that food, can play a proven role in helping to get or keep your child healthy. The following are some foods and the ways and whys in which they are effective.

Foods that stimulate immunity a well functioning immune system can help ward off illnesses from minor bacterial infections and viruses to cancer. All kinds of compounds exist in foods that serve as immune boosters. These foods give "ammunition" to those cells responsible for destroying foreign invaders. Some of the best foods proven to do that include....