It is the season of sickness in and around LA, as well as on many college campuses. But you don’t have to be another sufferer. Here are three wellness, immunity boosting tips that will keep you healthy all year long.
Plants, Plants, Plants!
Plant-based medicine is an incredible way of living. Even researching the subject will teach you so much about the earth’s way of naturally healing us. If you wake up with the all too familiar sore throat and tingle of sinus congestion, head straight for all natural, immunity boosters! Echinacea flower, otherwise known as Coneflower is a plant with a plethora of health benefits. The flower is used to fight infections, help battle bad bacteria in the body that can be found in sicknesses like the common cold. You can take echinacea supplements or, per my favorite way, drink Echinacea Tea at least twice a day at first sign of illness.
Another wonderful plant to look into is the flowering Sambucus (elderberry) plant. With a high Vitamin C content this plant is a powerful immunity booster. You can consume it in supplement forms as well as in bottled shots. My favorite Elderberry Shot is found at Moon Juice, a plant based alchemy shop in Venice, California. You can find a whole bunch of fun sickness fighting remedies at Moon Juice Shop as well! If you are interest in plant based medicine, take a look at the health benefits of the Turmeric Plant’s root. Curcumin is a highly active chemical compound in turmeric. It is a powerful antioxidant and fights inflammation in the body. You can ingest turmeric in supplement form and drinkable shots, whatever is the least painful for you!
Kill The Junk Food Diet.
What you put in your body when you’re sick is extremely important. Your body needs to be nurtured and cared for with a rich diet of vitamins, antioxidants, raw fruits and veggies. If you drink bottles of coke and munch on Doritos, you can’t always expect to get well quicker or boost your immunity and avert sickness. When I am sick I make sure to get my sugar intake from raw fruits only. Along with cutting out processed sugar, I stay far away from dairy which can quicken and strengthen the mucus production in your body. Aiding in mucus production is not the best when a cold is already dressing you in tissues and you can’t walk 3 steps without coughing.
When sick, the only liquid I drink is water. I stay away from all caffeinated drinks, whether it be coffee, caffeinated teas, or matcha; caffeine dehydrates the body, and what the body needs is plenty of hydration from water. It is also worth researching the effects alcohol consumption has on your immune system. When sick or trying to maintain a healthy body, here is a diet I love to employ – A warm quinoa oatmeal breakfast, with blueberries and raspberries, or an egg white omelette. For lunch, a big colorful salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, and for dinner, assortments of soups and proteins and many, many veggies. Lastly, a warm mug of echinacea tea before bed.
...SLEEP…. zzzz
Above anything else, getting a restful nights sleep before, during, and after you experience symptoms of sickness is imperative. Sleep is when your body heals itself, and it cannot heal if you are not allowing it to rest, or beating yourself down with unhealthy food and a stress heavy schedule. Try your best not to mentally beat yourself up when you are getting sick. The stress and internal anger will only worsen sickness. Instead, try your best to employ a nurturing attitude towards your body. Don’t push yourself, staying out super late or drowning yourself in sugary drinks and fast food. Sleep an average of 7-9 hours per night! Eat a healthy diet, hydrate, boost your immunity with plants based medicine and herbs and you should see yourself on your way to wellness!