How to Stay Well During Cold and Flu Season

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Cold and Flu season is here!

A few simple best practices will help keep the viruses away. Several of these are harder to do during the holidays because we aren’t in our normal routine, are more stressed and are tempted by foods we don’t usually eat which is why more people fall ill during this season.

Tips for staying healthy:

1. Wash your Hands

After being in public, around someone who is sick, or before you eat, wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds to kill viruses before touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Do not use anti-bacterial products as there is no added benefit over using soap and water or use a safer alternative.

2. Sleep Well

Make sure to get as much sleep as possible so your body can recover and heal each night. The more stressed you are the more sleep you need. Adults should get at least 7 hours each night.

3. Eat Well

Include healing bone broth a couple of times a week in your diet. Reduce sugar and alcohol which compromise your immune system making it difficult for your body to fight infections. Avoid foods like gluten, dairy or other foods that you are intolerant to that can lead to leaky gut or inflammation.

4. Saline Flush

Do a weekly or bi-weekly saline flush to clear and heal nasal passages. This is especially important if you have a tendency to get sinus infections following a cold or flu.

5. Reduce Stress

Stress is also an immune suppressant so make sure you to continue stress relieving activities such as walking, yoga, prayer, or meditation.

6. Walk or Exercise Outside

Fresh air and Vitamin D from the sun are immune boosters so walk or do outside activities that allow you to benefit from fresh air and vitamin D from the sun.

7.  Gut Health

Since 80% of our immune system is located in the gut, make sure you aren’t eating foods that will compromise this and take your probiotics and consume fermented foods like kombucha or kefir. These are my favorite probiotics.

8. Immune Boosting Supplements

These are a few of the supplements that can help boost your immune system. Be sure to have your vitamin D levels checked by your healthcare provider if you are supplementing with vitamin D. If you have an autoimmune condition you may want to avoid adaptogenic herbs, such as ashwagandha, astragalus, licorice, and euchinacea, that are commonly used in natural remedies.
 

9. Elderberry Syrup

The dried berries of the Sambucis Nigra plant are naturally high in immune-boosting compounds that are specifically shown to help fight the cold and flu more quickly. Elderberry syrup can be diluted in water or taken full strength. It actually tastes really good! If you have an autoimmune condition, use only occasionally when needed since elderberry is an adaptogen.

My special Organic Elderberry Syrup Kit includes dried elderberry, Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, clove, lemongrass, rose hip and all the instructions needed to make the perfect Elderberry Syrup. All you will need to add is water and raw honey. You can purchase DIY Elderberry Syrup 4 oz. Kit  in my Etsy Shop.

10. Essential Oils

Diffuse these essential oils in your home-they have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Clove, Helichrysum, Melaleuca, Thyme, Lemongrass, On Guard Blend  Use an diluted immune boosting blend of essential oils. Roll onto the bottoms of feet.

Hope all of you stay well this holiday season!

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