HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — When you got sick with a cold as a child, your mom probably fed you chicken soup. Researchers now know that soup has an anti-inflammatory effect. It can help clear out congestion.

That’s not the only food that has medicinal properties. In today’s Mommy Matters, foods that can help you and your family feel better. Please note, that they won’t replace prescription medications, but doctors say they can help you feel better faster.

Keep buckwheat honey on hand for a cough. Nutritionists say it’s particularly good for children who are coughing through the night.

Try peppermint to soothe an upset stomach. You can drink it in a tea, chew it in gum, and there’s always peppermint hard candy. Some people say it even helps ease nausea to put peppermint oil in a diffuser and breathe the scent in.

Another food to help settle an upset stomach — ginger. That’s been a staple of Chinese medicine for centuries. Ginger can help ease nausea and vomiting and reduce inflammation, and according to the National Institutes of Health, Ginger can lower blood sugar levels and lessen the risk of heart disease.

For fighting colds and the flu, add a little garlic to your diet. Records dating back to ancient Egypt show garlic has been used as an antibiotic for centuries. In more recent times it’s been used to treat joint and muscle pain.

Mushrooms have also been used as medicine since ancient times. They’re packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Nutritionists say they help reduce inflammation, and they’re even being used to help treat some types of cancer.

If you bruise easily, researchers say to add more pineapple to your diet. It helps reduce swelling and inflammation.

If you want to give your respiratory system a boost, eat more watermelon. It’s rich in antioxidants that support lung function.