Cold & Flu Season Tips

Here is an article about cold/flu season from a great web site called Naturally Knocked Up:

Natural cures/remedies for colds are abundant, especially this time of year. We’re either trying to not get sick, or perhaps we’re sick and would like to get over our illness quicker. With just a few simple items, probably already in your home, you can boost your immune system and feel better in no time. Used before hand – you can even fight the virus before it takes up residence in your body.

Cold and Virus Fighters

photo credit: carbonnyc

Garlic is a common staple in most homes, but did you know it also has the ability to cleanse and warm the body, kill yeasts and parasites, increase circulation, as well as contains natural antibiotic and anti fungal properties. It’s a wonderful immune booster and helps to fight off germs and bacteria.

In order to see the full benefit of garlic, it must be consumed raw. Cooked garlic has wonderful properties as well, but when eaten raw will knock the virus off it’s feet. Start consuming larger quantities of garlic as soon as you feel a touch ill. It’s also beneficial to boost your immune system before you head to an even with a large crowd!

How to take raw garlic

• My absolute favorite way to get raw garlic into my diet is to make a garlic herb spread for over toast, potatoes, or even rice.
• You can chop it into pill sized pieces and swallow whole. One word of advice though – always consume with foods, lest you get a stomach ache.
• If you have empty pill capsules at home you can also mince the garlic and fill capsules to make it a bit easier to swallow!
• Top the foods you make with raw garlic. Even if the food is hot, it shouldn’t ‘cook’ the garlic if you consume it fast enough.

Taking a dose of garlic every few hours will have you feeling better in no time! (As a side note, I’ve noticed that minced garlic has a more noticeable effect than large pieces)

Rest

Stress and fatigue lower you’re immune system so it’s pertinent that you give your body ample amounts of rest so that it can use the extra energy for fighting illness. When heading into a season of busyness, or looking forward to vacation, get as much rest beforehand as possible.

Liquids

Our bodies function properly when they are properly hydrated! Make sure to drink lots of liquids to hydrate those cells. Water also helps our bodies eliminate toxins from the body and makes digestion easier. It’s important to drink enough so that your urine is no longer yellow.

If you’re already sick, drink more!

Hot liquids are also a wonderful help. If you think about it, most virus’ we ‘catch’ we breathe in, as they are airborne and travel from the person next to us who sneezes. Drinking hot liquids often helps to kill the germs as they reside in our mouths and throat. Hot water with lemon is a wonderful drink to consume during cold and flu season as not only the heat helps fight virus, the lemon is ultra cleansing to the body. Homemade broth is another hot liquid that has amazing healing properties!

photo credit: aussiegall

Nasal Cleansing

Probably one of the least lady-like immune boosters, nasal cleansing with sea salt is a fabulous way to keep germs at bay! The warm salt water helps to flush out bacteria and virus’ as they reside in our nasal passages.

You can easily use nasal cleansing upon rising in the morning and going to bed each night. This is especially important when you’re traveling or around a large group of people.

To practice nasal cleansing you can purchase what’s called a neti pot and fill with warm salt water. If you don’t have a neti pot, you can also use a bulb syringe. Lean over a sink and tilt your head to the side and slightly forward, allowing the salt water to run into your sinus’. It’s not pretty, and sometimes downright uncomfortable, but works amazingly well!

Probiotics

Another great way to boost your immune system is to consume foods that contain probiotics. Yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and naturally fermented vegetables are all great sources of good bacteria that help keep your system strong. it also keep s your immune system strong by keeping your intestines healthy. (Did you know that 80% of our immune system is in our gut?)

Wash Your Hands

Taught in grade schools around the country, washing your hands is your first defense in keeping germs out of your body. You don’t need to go the anti-bacterial soap route, just wash long enough to sing the ABC’s before you eat and after you’re exposed to others.

Take Your Vitamins

To really give your immune system a boost, make sure you consume enough vitamin D and vitamin C. Both are important to your immune system and can help kick a cold before it starts.

Don’t Eat Sugar

One of the biggest things you can do for your immune system is to cut sugar and sweets out of your diet. Sugar not only disrupts the natural balance of bacteria in your gut, it also drastically lowers the strength of your immune system! Most studies suggest that it can lower immune function for 6 hours after consumption, leaving you vulnerable to virus’ you’ve been exposed to. Other studies even suggest that it lowers your immune function up to 90% within just the first 15 minutes.

Using all of the above home remedies will keep you healthy this winter, but don’t fret if you’ve already come down with a bug. Each one of these will help boost your immune system and help the body heal quicker!

Source: naturallyknockedup.com