SO much ick is going around, it's hard to avoid it all! We do our part by washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer and wiping down carts and such with antibacterial wipes! However, I still feel like the best thing we do is preventative!
Preventative measures help to boost up your immunities, so that you are better equipped to handle being out and exposed to different germs! While my husband MUST get the flu shot for his job, the kids and I do not get it. This is a personal preference, and all of the things I'm suggesting will help and benefit you during this season of the year whether you do or do not get the flu shot! People who get the flu usually have an impaired immune system that was unable to fight off the virus! I'm going to give you some tips to boost yours!
This is an accurate representation of me during the fall/winter sick season .....
What is important is that you do you own research to be sure that it is the best for your family, and that it makes sense to use! (Don't just do it because I said it's what we do!)
So, what is it that we do as a family preventatively during this time of year? I'm going to tell you!
1) Elderberry Syrup
Elderberries are like little immune boosting super heros! They can help to prevent illness and to help speed up recovering time if you end up sick! I choose to make my own at home. We use a blend with Organic Elderberries, Raw Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon, and Raw honey! We take it daily in the fall/winter months as a boost, and if we end up feeling like something's coming on, we boost it up!
I make my own elderberry syrup with echinacea, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, local raw honey, and of course... elderberries.
2) Garlic
If you are using garlic only for cooking, you are missing out! Garlic has some amazing natural antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal properties! It's a booster for your immune system. You can get pills for these, but I'm an advocate of food is medicine. So, We eat ours organic, and raw! Whenever we are sick (rarely, but it happens) or we can feel it starting, we crush a raw clove of garlic on toast w/butter and eat it! If we can handle, we do 2 cloves! This seriously kicks whatever it is we have or feel coming on super fast! Garlic is LIFE.
3) Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a super powerful little vitamin! Our bodies don't actually make vitmain C, we get it from food and supplements! This is why pirates got scurvy back in the day. We need vitamin C for immune function, our bones, iron absorption, and our skin! It's also been linked to helping shorten duration of colds. It seems to work best when you are getting enough vitamin C daily! This can come from fruits like sitrus & strawberries, green veggies, and even tomatoes! So eat your fresh fruits & veggies! We can also get it from supplements. We prefer to take emergen-C for our supplements. They also make gummies, and even chewables! However, my kids love the fizzy little drink! It's their favorite thing! They even make a kids one. In all honesty, from studies I've seen, anything more than around 500mg for a daily preventative is just being wasted. Our bodies only absorb around 500mg. However, vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, our bodies easily eliminate the excess. :) Now I've also heard when you are sick, kick the vitamin C up a notch.
4) Sleep
Yes, I'm going there. Sleep is SO important for your body, in many ways! Seriously, no sleep impairs our immune system. When we aren't resting and getting restored, our bodies defences come down. Getting enough sleep is also vital for a quicker recover if you do become sick. The daily recommendation for adults is 7-8 hours per night. If you are not getting that, really work hard to get that started. Even my iPhone has a bedtime reminder set up to help you get more sleep! Mine is shown below. I need to get to bed at 11pm nightly, and wake up at 6am. I wake and do 30 min of yoga while my coffee brews.
5) Diet & Exercise
This one isn't a surprise. When you are fueling your body with crap, it is going to function like crap! Eating a whole foods diet (Diet not being 'deprivation to lose weight' but the food you are consuming, that is known as your diet) is the best for optimum health. Limit your sugars. Limit the processed foods. No drive thru. If you are eating from a box, or drive thru more than 1 time a week, that is too much. You really need to fuel your body with good healthy whole foods from the earth. I know where I live in Indiana, fresh produce is harder to find year round than when I was living in San Francisco Bay Area. Now I have to can in the summer, or buy frozen to supplement my whole foods during the winter months. You should be getting at least 5 servings of vegetables a day! They are good for you! It's Science! Exercise is also important. This is vital to ensuring your immune system is running at its max capacity. This doesn't have to be crazy. But you should be getting moving for at least 30 min a day. This can be a brisk walk, yoga, swimming, or any of the crazy awesome cool workouts I help my clients through in the comfort of their own homes!
Listen, the key components here are to boost your immune system function through food, sleep, & exercise. Throw in some immune boosting supplements and vitamins, and be sure to wash your hands a TON and don't touch your face! Also, let's be honest for a minute my sweet immunity boosting cupcake - these are all things you should be doing ALL the time for overall healthy anyway! NOT just during flu season! So, get these going ALL year long, and you will feel amazing come next flu season! Your immunities will be up year round! You will be healthier overall!
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