Immune Health: The Race to Get Better!
Did you get enough sleep, reduce your stress, eat immune boosting foods, be mindful and relax, and the cold or influenza virus still won? Adults get 2-4 colds per year while children are facing up to 10 colds a year due to a weaker immune system. Flu cases are more popular and hospitalisations due the flu are even more likely than car accidents (Health Direct, 2019). So what are your next steps to beating the virus and getting better as fast as you can?
Just Say No. Saying no can be frustrating, annoying and give you a fear of missing out on activities. However, the first sign of a stuffy nose, scratchy throat, excess fatigue or upset stomach may be the first signs of coming down with a virus. When these symptoms arise, give your body a day off.
- Rest as much as you can and eat specific meals with immune boosting foods: garlic, onion, oregano, citrus fruits, sweet potato, pumpkin, and carrots.
- Avoid alcohol, sugar, and carbohydrates. Those all make it more challenging for your body to fight off whatever may be attacking it.
Herbals and Diet. Herbal remedies are highly comparable to over the counter remedies for cold and flu symptoms because they have longer lasting effects as well as they are safe to take for extended periods of time (Colds, begone! 2018).
Echinacea and turmeric are two herbal remedies that have been found to give your immune system a super boost, although echinacea is most effective when taken every day as a preventive. If you are looking for a common food with turmeric, try different curry dishes. Most curry dishes has turmeric because the unique colour and taste gives the classic ‘curry’ flavour. If you want to ensure that your curry has turmeric, it is suggested to cook your own! Try the Veg Curry with Turmeric recipe where you can add any additional season vegetables from your local market.
Turmeric is also great as a latte or tea with honey or stevia and some kombuchas have turmeric in them!
Turmeric Golden Milk
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon turmeric paste or powder
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Few shakes of ground black pepper
- Generous dash of vanilla
- Honey or maple syrup
-Place in a blender and blend on high until everything is blended and foamy! (Cold begone, The New Immune Booster, 2018).
Focus on vegetarian and organic diets and forget about processed foods (Colds, begone! 2018). Eating more fresh vegetables helps you avoid processed foods which contain high amounts of refined sugar. Refined sugar act as a fuel to the bad bugs in your body and make it more challenging for your body to naturally fight viruses. While you are sick, focus on eating fresh vegetables and fruit. A good way to do this is plan two to three meals vegetarian meals with fresh vegetables.
Whether you are starting to feel sick or are trying to avoid your next cold, eat local foods that are in season. Many seasonal foods offer good antimycobacterial, antioxidants and virus fighting aspects. Check out the blog Immune Boosting Foods for which foods you should add to your winter diet!
Winter is Yin. Understanding that winter is a part of ‘yin’ in Chinese medicine is important for your recovery. Winter being yin means that winter is synonymously a time to rest and be still, meditate, and be more introspective than during summer, which is yang (Boost Winter Qi, 2018). Being mindful of the time of the year will give you a piece of mind as to being okay with saying no and taking a day to be still. During the yin time, take time to be still throughout the day. Take breaks during your work day to be quiet and mindful, even just ten minutes. Doing this will help you recover faster and will eliminate stress throughout your day.
Wim Hof. Cold therapy. Breathing. Commitment. These three things are what Wim Hof swears by to not only boost your immune system, but to reverse your body’s reaction to a virus that is invading your body. By going back down to basics, Hof explains that bringing your body to cold temperatures and slow deep breathes not only re-oxygenates your body but then gives it an adrenaline rush to reset itself. You start by changing the psychology and asking yourself are you strong, happy and healthy? When you start feeling sick, breathe and connect yourself to back to you (Wim Hof Method, 2019).
Written by Phaelan Mead
References
Ford, S. (2018). Nature and Health: Winter Wellness Special.
Hof, W. (2019). Wim Hof Method. Retrieved from: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/
Mitchell-Peterson, T. (2018). Nature and Health: Colds, Begone!
Naik, A. (2018). VoucherCodes Blog: Cold begone, The New Immune Booster. Retrieved from https://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/blog/cold-begone-the-new-immune-boosters-26775.html