In case you haven't noticed, it's that time of year where the many dreaded lurgies rear their ugly heads, and the cycles of colds and bugs make their way around our schools, work environments and neighbourhoods ...
Although I don't enjoy feeling miserable or seeing my boys unwell, I also get a feeling of delight when we are sick knowing that our bodies are having an obviously much needed clean out ... getting rid of all of the gunk and toxins we no longer need in our bodies to slow us down!
I have, very proudly, a drug-free household. We fight off our colds with a good diet, warm lemon & honey, olive leaf extract, extra sunshine, beach (when it's warm enough, of course) and extra rest.
On the first sign of a cold, we try to eliminate all sugars from our diet, including fruit, unless it's oranges and strawberries the boys are craving at the time, which is usually the case. Our bodies know what we need! Sugar, even in it's natural form, really depletes our immune systems, so to keep our immune systems strong, we want to eat foods that really help.
Here are some foods that, if eaten regularly in our diets, will help to keep our immune systems strong and fight off colds:
OATS...
Porridge on a Winter's morning is delicious... it's warming and nourishing and tastes great with maple syrup or honey. The highly processed easy or quick oats don't have the same nutritional value, so try and opt for an organic wholegrain variety. I know if we have a bowl of porridge for breakfast, we'll be satisfied for hours and with their slow-release energy, the boys moods are always calm and relaxed (most of the time). The oats are high in antioxidant properties and they boost immunity and speed healing.
GARLIC...
I put garlic in almost every meal we eat ... it's so good for us!!
Garlic fights bacteria and infection, and in one study, it was found that people who consume garlic were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold than non-garlic lovers... raw is best, but no thanks, not in this house. Cooked is better than not!
CHICKEN SOUP...
It's not an old wives tale... chicken soup is one of the best things for us to help fight off a cold. Not only does it stop the movement of inflammatory white-cells into our bronchial tubes which causes our cold-symptoms, but it's basically a form of cough syrup, as it has the amino acid cysteine which chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylicysteine, so the broth helps to keep your mucus thin... So, don't go and give the drugstore your hard earned money for cough syrups and lozenges, that may cure the symptoms but not the illness ... cook up a big pot of chicken soup! (I will post my favourite chicken soup recipe soon).
SEAFOOD & FISH...
Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and mackerel help to reduce inflammation and fight against respiratory infections, as does the selenium in shellfish which helps to develop proteins in our white blood cells which clears out flu viruses.... seafood vatapa .... yum!! (Another recipe for me to post!) Or a simple pan fried crispy skin salmon fillet with stir fried vegetables in soy and garlic.
TEA...
Black Tea and Green Tea can both increase our immunity, and any herbal variety just makes us feel all warm and cosy on the inside.. curl up with a nice cuppa and a book in a spot of sunshine pouring in the window and feel the winter blues fading away ....
YOGHURT...
We all know that yoghurt is good for our tummies.. the live active cultures are healthy bacteria that keep our tummies and intestinal tract free of germs that cause disease ... the natural variety is best, sweetened with fresh or frozen fruit or agave syrup... it's not good to have too much if you already have a cold, but eat it daily in your diets to help keep the bugs away! We love Meredith' Sheep's Milk Yoghurt.
ONION
It may sound strange and not very nice, but onion is amazing to help our immune systems and also a natural anti-inflammatory. When we're sick, I put a cut onion in the bedrooms when the kids go to sleep and rub their feet with onion ... it doesn't smell that bad, just air out their rooms the following day. A little drop of onion juice in the ear is the best way to fix an ear ache, it's not very comfortable, but the fastest form of relief for ear aches... give it a try!
So, next time you are feeling a lurgy coming on, don't reach for a quick-fix drug to make the symptoms go away ... just let your body fight it off naturally with the help of some good nutritious foods. Sure, you may feel tired and miserable for a few days, but you'll be sure to fight it off properly if you let your body do it's amazing work all on it's own!
