We're all hoping this winter doesn't last for very much longer, but just in case, I've come to figure out my way around these sicknesses without depending on harsh medications and prescriptions.
Immune function is strongly dependent on our food choices [shouldn't be a big surprise since everything we are is because of what we eat].
Do you ever notice that when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around a lot of us start to get sick? Maybe right after Christmas you come down with a cold or some type of virus. Pretty common scenario. And we may blame it on the cold weather, but could there be more??
What type of foods are we all eating during that time? Probably a lot of sweets, cookies, pie, sugarplums [whatever those are], etc.
Listen to my favorite podcast called Dishing Up Nutrition for more on foods to eat to boost your immune system.
Since our immune system is based in our gut (stomach and intestines) we need to treat those organs right.
So here are some tips
*Limit Sugar
Even sugar that comes in the form of crackers, breads, bagels, fruit snacks, or popcorn (yep! those are all high in sugar because they all break down into sugar once digested).
Sugar does a good job at ruining our immune system because it kills the good bacteria in our stomach and intestines.
By cutting down on those types of foods you'll allow your gut to heal and replenish its good bacteria.
Have you heard of probiotics?
*Take a probiotic!
Probiotics have healthy bacteria that our gut needs to function properly. If we've eaten too many sugary foods our good bacteria is lessened. To restore that healthy bacteria our belly needs some help. Bifidobacteria is what you'll want to look for on a good probiotic supplement.
This is the one I use:
*Limit strong meds
Taking strong medications like Tylenol or Advil or any other type of cold medicine will also kill off that good bacteria that we should really be trying to save. So try to limit the use of those things as much as possible. And I truly believe that eating healthy, real foods will help you prevent sickness in the future. So...
*Eat balanced
When our bodies are trying to fight off yucky stuff it needs some weapons!
Eat plenty of protein at each meal and snack if you can. Protein helps us build those antibodies that attack the yucky viruses. They're our swords, arrows and shields.
Make your carbohydrates fruits and veggies.
People like to suck on vitamin C drops when they're sick because we've all heard vitamin C is good for our immunity. So, why not get even more vitamins from fruits and veggies! You'll absorb them better than any drop/supplement will.
Eat plenty of good fats. You know me, always talking about fat. But fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, almonds all have those omega 3's that help reduce inflammation which helps our immune system to work better.
Got it? PFC - Protein, Fat, Carb. You'll be good to go.
*Supplement with good stuff
I mentioned before that right now my husband has sniffles and sneezes going on, and about a month ago he had the same thing. At the time I was on the hunt for something that would be gentle on that good bacteria but that would be strong enough to help fight the virus.
I searched here and found this:
Sorry for the bad photo quality
Advantage Liquid Concentrate
And be warned! Drinking this in plain water, even a small amount, does not taste good. Use it in coffee or milk or something... Otherwise, just put a small amount of water in a shot glass, put a few drops in, plug your nose and get 'er done!
On the upside, this stuff seems to work wonders! I haven't been sick all winter. At one point I could feel my throat starting to hurt and get scratchy so I was diligent about taking this stuff for a while and nothing ever got worse. You can be the judge.
This is all natural as well, safe on our bellies and guts. Yay!
Taking a multivitamin wouldn't be a bad idea either. Supplements aren't absorbed as well as real food, but in my humble opinion, it doesn't hurt.
There you have it. My 5 tips to help you avoid the yuckies for the rest of the year.
Understanding our immune system, what strengthens it and what weakens it, is power. Now you know what you have to do to keep healthy through the winter and prevent those terrible colds.
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