The cold and flu season has been brutally taking its toll on many of us. Particularly, in the last few weeks, I have known of many individuals and families battling sickness. Myself included as I recently went to war against a nasty cold. For this reason, I am sharing with you some simple tips to dually conquer sickness and boost your immune system.
Unfortunately, as a society, we tend to approach medicine in a way that is very detrimental to our long-term health. What do I mean by this? Prescriptions--the answer for almost 100% of our sickness--come with negative side effects. These do not need to be our first course of action. There are so many natural resources that can not only powerfully kick out sickness, but promote overall health at the same time.
As I share these with you, here is the primary principle to remember when boosting your immune system: remove the stressors and strengthen the defenses. What are some of the stressors? Sugar, lack of sleep, and other stress (you know the specifics within your life.) Just like exercising without changing diet doesn’t magically make us healthy. So, taking the right immune support won’t be enough without removing the stressors.
So, how do we strengthen our defenses? Our most common reaction to sickness is to take antibiotics. These typically do a good job of killing most bacterial infections, but they also kill the defenses-- our good bacteria. Antibiotic literally means “against life.” Our gut is meant to be alive and populated with a host of healthy bacteria that fight invading pathogens. When we kill the good with the bad, our systems are now defenseless for the next invasion. This is why some people no sooner recover from one infection to find themselves sick with another. There are times when antibiotics are absolutely necessary, although I believe it is rare. If this is the case, take extra effort to repair the life in your gut! In place of antibiotics or other synthetic medicines, here are my favorite resources:
Echinacea: This powerful herb increases production of white blood cells which prevent and fight colds. Take it as a liquid or steep the dried flower as a tea. (My favorite brand is Nature’s Sunshine’s “Ultimate Echinacea”.)
Elderberry: Often made into a syrup, this herb is a classic support for our immune system. It is know as an antiviral herb and aids in liver support and detoxification. It not only helps the body fight colds and flus, but also reduces nerve pain, inflammation, and cancer. [1] Make your own, or purchase an organic elderberry syrup. (I like to use Urban Moonshine’s Immune Zoom”.)
Probiotics: Supplements and fermented foods can not only be used to replenish our gut after a round of antibiotics, but also beef up our good bacteria to fight current invaders. I love to rotate homemade fermented veggies (sauerkraut, beets, carrots, and more). (For supplements, I typically use Hyperbiotics.)
Essential Oils: Pure, therapeutic essential oils are highly concentrated, and much more potent than herbs.They quickly enter our bloodstream to produce transformational results. Eucalyptus, peppermint, and oregano, have been shown to have antibacterial, anti-viral
and immune enhancing capabilities. (Young Living is a quality company.)
Our bodies are designed to be disease fighting machines. Let’s provide them with the proper therapeutic nutrients and enjoy vibrant health!
[1] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-434/elderberry
If you have questions or comments for Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Maria Adam, contact her at thrivinghealthNY.com.