Getting A Common Cold...
...doesn't have to be so common. There are things we can do naturally to make getting sick less likely. If we do happen to get sick, however, there are things we can also do to help support our bodies to fight it off.
That's what this week's post is all about!
First, I’ll give you some tips on how to reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place. Then, I’ll let you in on some of my strategies to recover from that cold you may still get from time to time.
That's what this week's post is all about!
First, I’ll give you some tips on how to reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place. Then, I’ll let you in on some of my strategies to recover from that cold you may still get from time to time.
Natural Tips To Reduce Risk of Sickness
Here are some great ideas to incorporate into our daily lives to reduce our risk of getting sick.
1. Wash our hands. A lot. Our hands can trap and transport all kinds of microbes that cause sickness. And I’m not just talking about colds here, but lots of different germs.
NOTE: Antibacterial soap is not recommended! Not only is it no more effective than regular soap and water, but it can contribute to antibiotic resistance.
2. Get enough nutrients. I know this is way oversimplified, but I would be remiss to exclude it. Every cell in our bodies, including our immune cells, needs enough of all the essential nutrients. The more nutrition we have, the better and stronger we will be, especially with vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin A-rich foods include carrots, sweet potato, and organ meats. Vitamin C-rich foods include bell peppers and citrus. Vitamin E-rich foods include nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.
3. Probiotic foods. Helping our health-promoting gut microbes with more of their probiotic friends is in order here to help keep the immune system strong. Try 1-2 servings/day of fermented foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, and kombucha.
4. Prebiotic foods. Feeding those friendly gut microbes their favourite foods can help them to grow and flourish. They love fibrous foods like onions, garlic, asparagus, berries, bananas, sweet potatoes, and seeds. Aim for 2-3 servings/day.
5. Get enough sleep. Did you know that our immune system cycles with our circadian system? When we sleep, our immune cells produce antibodies to fight infections. We should try to get at least 7 hours every single night, even when we're feeling great.
1. Wash our hands. A lot. Our hands can trap and transport all kinds of microbes that cause sickness. And I’m not just talking about colds here, but lots of different germs.
NOTE: Antibacterial soap is not recommended! Not only is it no more effective than regular soap and water, but it can contribute to antibiotic resistance.
2. Get enough nutrients. I know this is way oversimplified, but I would be remiss to exclude it. Every cell in our bodies, including our immune cells, needs enough of all the essential nutrients. The more nutrition we have, the better and stronger we will be, especially with vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin A-rich foods include carrots, sweet potato, and organ meats. Vitamin C-rich foods include bell peppers and citrus. Vitamin E-rich foods include nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.
3. Probiotic foods. Helping our health-promoting gut microbes with more of their probiotic friends is in order here to help keep the immune system strong. Try 1-2 servings/day of fermented foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, and kombucha.
4. Prebiotic foods. Feeding those friendly gut microbes their favourite foods can help them to grow and flourish. They love fibrous foods like onions, garlic, asparagus, berries, bananas, sweet potatoes, and seeds. Aim for 2-3 servings/day.
5. Get enough sleep. Did you know that our immune system cycles with our circadian system? When we sleep, our immune cells produce antibodies to fight infections. We should try to get at least 7 hours every single night, even when we're feeling great.
Natural Tips To Recover From Sickness
When we do get infections, not only do we need more nutrients to fight them off, but our bodies also have harder times absorbing and using the nutrients we take in. Sometimes this is because of reduced hunger, sometimes due to gastrointestinal reasons. Either way, nourishing our bodies is even more important. When we do get sick, we should make sure we are implementing tips 1-5 plus the tips below that are crucial for getting over a common cold.
6. Drink lots of fluids. Being sick can be dehydrating. Fluids like water, chicken soup, and green tea are warm, hydrating comfort drinks. Chicken soup is a source of electrolytes, especially if homemade from a real chicken with lots of vegetables. Green tea has been shown to boost some of our immune cells, and this can help to better fight off the invading germ.
7. Rest and recover. When our bodies are fighting infections, they are busy working hard for our health. We should give them a break and relax while we’re feeling under the weather.
6. Drink lots of fluids. Being sick can be dehydrating. Fluids like water, chicken soup, and green tea are warm, hydrating comfort drinks. Chicken soup is a source of electrolytes, especially if homemade from a real chicken with lots of vegetables. Green tea has been shown to boost some of our immune cells, and this can help to better fight off the invading germ.
7. Rest and recover. When our bodies are fighting infections, they are busy working hard for our health. We should give them a break and relax while we’re feeling under the weather.
Conclusion
There are lots of things we can do to stay healthy and reduce infections naturally. Washing our hands is a proven way to reduce our risk. Staying healthy in all other ways helps a lot as well. Getting enough nutrition, eating probiotic and prebiotic foods, and getting enough sleep are key year round.
When we do get sick, we need to keep up all of the good habits above, and make sure to add some warm, healthy fluids, and extra rest.
What do you do when you get sick? Let me know in the comments below, and make sure to keep reading for a great recipe to use when feeling under the weather...
When we do get sick, we need to keep up all of the good habits above, and make sure to add some warm, healthy fluids, and extra rest.
What do you do when you get sick? Let me know in the comments below, and make sure to keep reading for a great recipe to use when feeling under the weather...
Recipe: Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops
Recipe (Throat Soothing): Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Pro Tip: You can sprinkle them with vitamin C powder to keep them from sticking together.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
Instructions:
- Put ingredients into a small saucepan.
- Stir frequently until it becomes foamy. Be careful because the honey can burn easily.
- Remove from heat and continue to stir until the foam reduces.
- Put the saucepan back on the heat.
- Repeat this until a candy thermometer reads 300F.
- Drop a bit into a glass of ice water. If the mixture forms a hard, crunchy ball, it's ready! If not, keep stirring and heating for another minute or two and try with the ice water again.
- Once a hard ball forms from a drop into the ice water, let the saucepan cool until the foam has reduced.
- Drizzle the candy into a candy mold or onto oiled parchment paper.
- Let cool at room temperature until the cough drops are hard.
- Pop out of the mold or break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.
Pro Tip: You can sprinkle them with vitamin C powder to keep them from sticking together.
Healthy Immune Systems, Healthy Lives!
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References:
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/what-to-eat-when-sick
https://www.thepaleomom.com/natural-approaches-to-cold-flu-season/
http://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/what-to-eat-when-sick
https://www.thepaleomom.com/natural-approaches-to-cold-flu-season/
http://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/