Hello there! I know, you are probably shocked to see a post on this blog! In August I started working full time and due to my long hours away from home, this blog fell to the wayside. I can't promise regular posting...but perhaps I can give this little corner on the web some attention again once things settle down :-)
I have had several folks ask me lately what natural options are out there to help treat and prevent illness. This was such a popular post, that I decided to revise it a little and share it again during this cold & flu season! Stay well warriors!
Originally posted: May 21, 2013
Before changing my diet, ( click here to read all about it) I used to get sick quite frequently. If anyone around me was sick, I would get it too. And why even try to avoid it when my family got sick, it was pointless trying to avoid it...I just had to wait for it to hit me!
Changing my diet has made a huge difference in how my body handles illness, but it has not made me superhuman! (I still get sick like everyone else!) However, I have noticed that when I do get sick nowadays it is not as severe, and I am able to fight it off much quicker.
So I thought it would be good idea to share with you a list of my top "preventions & remedies" for when sickness is going around or when I start feeling sick myself. Before rushing to the doctor, or popping those pills at the first sign of a sniffle, wave of nausea, or tingle in the throat...give these natural options a try! ( your body and your wallet will thank you!)
1). NO PROCESSED SUGAR! - I thought I would get the worst one out of the way first folks...just hear me out on this! This is my number one recommendation because I feel like it is the most important one. If you remember anything from this post, I hope this is it! Even if you aren't sugar free, the minute you start feeling sick, or someone close to you starts feeling ill, cut out all processed sugar until it has passed! Why? Sugar actually suppresses the immune system. It greatly reduces the response of white blood cells and causes a fifty percent drop in the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria for up to 5 hours after consumption. Wonder why you can't seem to get better when you are drinking soda, Gatorade, and other sugary drinks? ( not to mention all the sugary foods!) Because they are loaded with sugar! Cut your body some slack and let it do its job and heal before grabbing for that can of soda or bowl of ice cream. Cutting out sugar permanently is also a great illness prevention!
2) SLEEP!- Another great preventative step to take. Sleep is good, we all know how important it is to get a good night of sleep. We feel good, and that's because our body has had a chance to heal and repair itself. Give your body a chance to do what it was created to do: heal, repair and maintain! If I don't get good sleep for a few days and consume too much sugar, I WILL get sick. Guaranteed. Work on getting to bed before midnight if possible, and sleeping solid throughout the night. 7-8 hours is plenty, and when you are sick make sure you rest as much as possible!
3) BONE BROTH- There is a reason why eating chicken soup during times of sickness been passed down from generation to generation. It is because chicken broth ( or beef) contains remarkable healing properties! Homemade bone broth is loaded with healthy immune boosting fats, minerals, and vitamins. It is easily and quickly digested by the body ( which means your body will have more energy to fight off the sickness instead of using it up to digest food) and is rich in flavor. Also very beneficial for bone/joint health! It's important to use grass fed/organic bones for the highest nutritional value. Making bone broth is easy! I throw an entire gutted chicken ( or drumsticks/chicken breast) into the crock pot and season with spices and salt. Once the chicken is cooked I pull off the meat, and store in the fridge to add to soup later. I then throw the bones back in the crock pot along with celery, fresh whole garlic, carrots, fresh onions, salt, and fill the crock pot up with water. I cook the bones in the crock pot overnight and voila! I have homemade bone broth! ( I remove the bones of course) If I'm really sick I will just keep the broth warm and drink it throughout the day, or move it to a larger pot and add the chicken ( and any other fixins' I want; vegetables, spices etc) to make homemade soup. If I don't drink it right away I store it in glass jars in in the refrigerator ( will last up to 3 days in fridge, longer if frozen). You can do the same with beef bones to make beef broth!
4) APPLE CIDER VINEGAR ( with the Mother)- I can't say enough good things about this stuff. It's cheap and works. ASV is a fermented product made from crushed aged apples. The best ASV is the kind that contains "the mother" which really just means that it still has a healthy colony of beneficial bacteria. ( all the other ASV versions out there have been pasteurized and no longer have good bacteria or enzymes). Bragg's is my favorite brand. I use it for everything: hair, skin, digestion, illness and more! What's so good about it? Well for one thing it is a great remedy for digestive issues and food poisoning because it can bind to toxins and help the body eliminate them more quickly. It also breaks up mucous in the body, purifies the blood, and aids in weight loss. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and also contains antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. I take a TBSP every morning in a full glass of water 30min before breakfast, and when I feel sick I take more throughout the day diluted in water, or in hot tea. Feeling sick to your stomach? Take some ASV diluted in water! Unfortunately, you never fully get used to the taste. I don't enjoy drinking diluted vinegar every morning, it's not pleasant. But, it has helped me tremendously! ( and once it's down, well, problem solved!)
5) PROBIOTICS- A healthy gut = a healthy body overall. Where are all your nutrients absorbed? The gut. Where is most of the harmful bacteria that enters your body killed? The gut. Probiotics are beneficial forms of bacteria and yeast that help maintain a balanced and healthy digestive tract. Your gut is actually home to more than 500 different types of healthy bacteria which help in digesting food, assist the immune system, and help keep your intestinal lining healthy and happy. When your gut bacteria is out of balance, illness often follows. Healthy probiotics can be found in fermented foods such as: organic sour kraut, pickles,( fermented foods), raw dairy, water kefir, kombucha, and supplemental probiotics. I am still on the hunt for a probiotic supplement I like that isn't too pricey, but I do try and eat fermented/raw foods everyday ( I love the sour kraut and pickles listed above!).
6). VITAMIN C- We have all heard about how good vitamin C is for you when you are sick- and it's true! Vitamin C actually protects your white blood cells.... which means they are able to function properly and do their job properly. It's fantastic for the immune system and is also a potent anti-inflammatory! I currently take this brand and like to mix it in tea ( it's very sour, so keep that in mind!).
7). ELDERBERRIES- I just recently made a batch of elderberry syrup to help fight off illness ( still need to fine tune the recipe, I bought this brand of berries for my syrup). After doing some research on this amazing berry, I decided to incorporate it into my immune boosting regime. This is a SUPER berry! It is effective against: Colds, flu, yeast infections, nasal and chest congestion, hay fever and much more. Read this article here for more detail.
8.) RAW HONEY- I adore this "liquid gold"! Raw honey is honey in its purest form. It has not been heated,strained, or filtered, all processes used in conventional honey which can destroy all the good enzymes, antioxidants, and nutrients! Raw honey is a natural multivitamin containing vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and even vitamin C are found in raw honey. It also contains minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, and phosphate. Raw honey even has antibacterial and antifungal properties!. And because of its immune-boosting antiviral properties, it traditionally has been used in the treatment of ulcers, diarrhea, bronchitis, and gastrointestinal issues. And did I also mention that if you purchase local raw honey it can help relieve allergies? Yeah. awesome stuff. If I'm sick I like to mix it in hot tea!
9.) HOT TEA- I loooooove tea, and I love the fact that it is the best thing to drink while sick! Drinking warm liquids while sick is a great way to help flush out toxins & loosen up mucous, it also warms the body, helps fight off infection, and keeps the blood flowing! This is my favorite type of tea to drink while battling sore throat/laryngitis/colds. Traditional Medicinals also has many other wonderful wellness teas!
So those are the top 9 things I do to help fight off the sick bug!
I also like to make what my family calls:
"Rachel's Remedy"
- 1 cup hot tea of your choice ( I like the Throat Coat Tea)
- 1/2 TSP Vitamin C Crystals (or juice from 1/2 a lemon)
- 1 TBSP Elderberry Syrup
- 1 TSP- 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar ( depends on how much you can tolerate!)
- Honey to taste
What do you do when sickness decides to pay you a visit? Have you tried any of the remedies listed above?
