Boost Your Immune Health Naturally

Lately I have seen a lot of friends on social media asking for tips on stopping the spread of the flu or ways to feel better faster. I see others talking about how many medications they are taking, how their children are on antibiotics, and how it's just cold after flu after cold. Even my parents are dealing with colds, stomach bugs, flu, more stomach bug, and it seems never ending.

I'd like to share my thoughts on how to stay healthy and prevent sickness for everyone in the house. I do not claim to have a perfect immune system or know all the secrets but I have learned a lot over the last 5 years of living a cleaner life and also the last 2 years of digging deeper into a healthy lifestyle when I found out I was going to be a mother. My mama bear instinct kicked in and put me on a path of wellness which has worked out pretty well. My 10 month old has never had any type of illness. I have only had to deal with a 2 day cold and 4 hours of food poisoning sickness in the last 2 years. 

A lot of what I am sharing here may seem little or that it is insignificant in your health, but it truly all adds up. The more of these changes you can make in your life, the more you will strengthen your immune system and prevent sickness. Just because you cannot feel a detrimental impact immediately, does not mean that something is not hurting you. Think of smoking, it doesn't hurt or feel bad to do it, but it can kill you in the long run. Similar idea with what I am suggesting below. 

So you want to feel better, avoid the cold going around the office, and help your kids stay healthy with all the germs at school?

These are the changes I suggest you make to see a difference in your long term health:

Household Cleaners • Time To Ditch The Chemicals

Time to throw it all out. I know it works so good/smells good/kills the germs/etc. It is also killing your immune system! There are over 80,000 possible chemicals in those bottles under your sink and none of them have been tested for safety and long term effects. We do know that store bought cleaners do get into your bloodstream easily through your skin and inhalation and they have the same effect they do on your floor(wiping it clean of all germs) which is bad! We want bacteria in our bodies, we need them! Our immune system literally is made of bacteria so if we absorb chemicals that erase the bacteria we have nothing left to fight off the bad bacteria that cause sickness.

I have been using a spray bottle with 60% water and 40% white vinegar with a few drops of essential oils for 4 years now and my floors have never been cleaner, my counters are truly disinfected, my bathrooms sparkle. Plus my baby can lick the glass door and I don't have to worry about the shitstorm of chemicals he is ingesting. You can read more about chemicals on my post on toxins Part 1 & Part 2. 

Diet • Whole Real Food 

If this list was numbered this would be #1. To make it short and sweet: if you want a resilient long lasting body you need to feed/fuel it with nutrients and the SAD(standard american diet) will never ever cut it. Every single day you need to be eating whole real food. Start with breakfast so at least your day begins well and work up from there. Get a high powered blender and make a green smoothie every morning with organic fresh produce. Not only does packaged and fast food contain slim traces of nutrients, it is also likely causing an inflammatory response in your body. Inflammation is the cause of dis-ease in the body(1). So if you are eating inflammatory foods every day, your body is ALWAYS under stress and never able to get back to homeostasis and heal itself. 

Stress • Combat It With Lifestyle Changes

Chronic stress can suppress protective immune responses and induces chronic inflammation(2). See note above about how inflammation is the cause of disease in the body. Everyone has day to day stresses that we cannot avoid. Chronic stress is referring to something that you are exposed to for long periods over and over. This can be many different things from dealing with PTSD, the death of a loved one, being a caregiver and the physical and emotional toll it takes, to physical stressors like having a physical condition that frequently causes pain in the body for long periods. Often times it may not be possible to remove this chronic stress from your life but what you can and need to do is fill your life with anti-stressing activities. Take up daily walking or yoga, go for weekly acupuncture treatments, join a support group, make a weekly lunch date with a supportive friend, find a creative outlet like coloring or playing the ukulele. This is not optional if you want to feel better. You must commit to adding these positive choices into your life. This is also known as self care. 

Antibiotics • Just Say No

Yes, antibiotics have their place in the medical world for life threatening infections. Ear infections, nope try breastmilk, homeopathics, and Chinese ear formula. Flu, no it's a virus not bacteria. Cold, nope; time, rest, and food will heal you. Other odd illness that your doctor does not know how to treat and wants to cover his butt so he prescribes antibiotics? No thanks! There is an amazing world of natural ways to heal your body with food, herbs, homeopathics, and more. When someone close to me is sick they are prescribed 5 cloves of garlic a day chopped up and eaten raw(natures antibiotic), double dose of probiotics, fish oil, and vitamins, along with coconut water, trace minerals, rescue remedy, elderberry syrup, bone broth with soft vegetables, arnica, hot detox baths, hot rice packs, no electronics, sleep all day. I also create a lemon tea with a whole lemon sliced, a few inches of ginger sliced, and whole turmeric sliced, 4 cloves of garlic smashed, and a few tablespoons of ACV in a pot of water. Let it simmer for 30 minutes and drink 2-3 cups a day.

Did You Know?

You may not know this but your gut bacteria is amazingly diverse and highly talented. It not only supports your immune system but your mood, cravings, weight, and tons more so you want to protect it at every cost! Even just one round of antibiotics can permanently kill certain important strains that you will never get back! Isn't that sad! You could kill off strains that help you release oxytocin or those that help you sleep or bacteria that combat flu bugs and on and on. Say it with me: "Bacteria is good! I love my gut bacteria!"

Add In The Good

Now that you have made some healthy lifestyle changes let's add in some more good to support your body through this change. 

• Probiotics - Make sure it is a good brand, I take this one and get it from my acupuncturist, keep it in the refrigerator to keep the bacteria alive. Best time to take it: first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a glass of room temperature water with lemon juice.  

• Eat fermented foods daily - Kimchi. Sauerkraut. Kiefer. Some yogurt brands. Some cottage cheese brands. Kombucha. Incorporate it into your meals every day to help build up the healthy bacteria in your gut. 

• Bone broth - It is a little bit of work to make but you can now buy it frozen at Whole Foods or online. It's worth it, a cup a day keeps the doctor away. It nourishes every cell in your body, helps you feel full, rebuilds your joints, collagen, and gut. It IS all that it is cracked up to be. But make sure to use organic grass fed bones. 

• Magnesium - This is my magical erase-all-the-sore-muscles-and-help-me-sleep drink. More than likely you are deficient in magnesium, most of us are, and this particular brand is incredibly easily absorbable for your body. I take a glass before bed and then fall asleep fast and stay asleep longer. I also take the formula with calcium since I am breastfeeding and need all the calcium I can get. 

It Is Worth The Effort

It is a lifestyle change. It is a mental commitment. It does take effort. It will not be easy at first but after a while you will feel the difference. You will get little encouraging messages from your body that you are doing the right thing and it will be worth it. You may get pushback from your family or those around you, but all that matters is that you are doing what is best for you. Break free from the herd, it's more fun out here! Come join me on this healthy lifestyle journey! You can follow me on instagram for little tips and to see my journey. 

Thanks for reading! I look forward to hearing your comments and how you make changes in your lifestyle! BTW: I am not a physician and do not claim to be one. Please consult your doctor before making major changes to your health. I am only sharing my opinions of what works for me and my family. 

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3492709/ 

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24798553

13 Ways To Stay Healthy During Flu Season

I have never had a flu shot before. At least not as long as I can remember. But I have avoided the flu very well. I'd like to share my lifestyle habits to help create a healthy body system and avoid sickness.

With my experience working for an acupuncturist (who happens to be my sister) for the last 3 years, I have learned so much about Chinese/Alternative medicine as well as other therapies. I feel like the flu shot is equivalent to taking a diet pill instead of working out. You do have to put some effort in, to get the results you want. 

Being "healthy" and being able to avoid colds and influenza as well as other types of sickness is truly a lifestyle decision. It does take a conscious effort to create positive daily habits that support your desired healthy body. But after a few weeks or months of these new habits they now become routine and easy and they make you feel so good you actually look forward to it. I know I do! 

So here is my list of how to stay healthy during flu season, and all year long (in no particular order of importance): 

1. Take a high quality medium to high dose probiotic every day. I use this brand and have had great results. A naturopath once told me to take it at night, or at the time of day when you have the least amount of stomach acid this way the pill will get all the way to your intestines(immune system) before dissolving. Also, store the bottle in the fridge to keep the bacteria alive longer. Your immune system truly is in your gut and having the right balance of bacteria there is key. Antibiotics literally kill your immune system so make sure you are boosting it back up if you do have to take an antibiotic. 
2. Take a daily multi-vitamin that is best suited for your age and body needs. There are so many many brands out there, it's hard to know which is best and if they really help so I know it can be frustrating. But you should notice a difference when you take them. Even if it's just more energy, better digestion or better cognition, etc. I take this brand. We also sell this brand at Jade Star Acupuncture and I know it's amazing, I will switch to this once I am done breastfeeding. A daily vitamin is important because no matter how healthy we eat, it's likely we are missing a few key nutrients every day. 
3. Take a daily vitamin C. I take Emergen-C every day, even though my multi has C in it, I know I need extra to keep sickness at bay. I have a glass of it every night with my daily dose of magnesium. If I start to feel run down or I'm around someone with a cold, I take 3 packs of Emergen-C a day. 
4. Eat raw garlic if you do get sick, and cook with it often for prevention. Garlic has antibiotic properties that work best when it is consumed raw. I know that sounds hard to swallow but it really works. I mince 3 cloves of garlic into tiny pieces and then put it in a glass of orange juice and chug it down. I did this twice a day for two days when I got mastitis(infection in my breast) and I was back to normal the next day. No antibiotic needed. You just might want to eat it with meal in case it irritates your stomach. 
5. Take a high quality fish oil supplement every day. These have become so popular over the last decade. They are actually more popular than multi-vitamins now, so there are a ton of brands and options out there. I love this brand(I take this dose specifically because I am breastfeeding), I have always had a good experience with them. Also getting a liquid form is best if you can stomach it. The smell is strong and it is very oily, you can always add it to a smoothie. Fish oil not only supports brain function but also a healthy immune system and reduces inflammation. 
6. Take a daily dose of vitamin D3. This supplement is actually a hormone and is a key nutrient in immune health. More than half the country is deficient in it. Here is an interesting article about Vitamin D to check out if you want to learn more. I take this brand and I also use this app which helps me track how much vitamin D I am getting from the sun. 
7. Drink a lot of water and avoid all soft drinks and sugary drinks. I don't usually count how many ounces of water, but I drink when I'm thirsty. I think there are too many opinions out there about how much water is best, just drink when you're thirsty and avoid the sugar/fake sugar/carcinogen filled "other drinks." 
8. Drink a cup of bone broth a day. If you're not sure exactly what bone broth is, here is a great article on the details of it. Make sure you're using bones from grass fed antibiotic free animals. This delicious magical drink can seriously do wonders for your health in so many ways. I have heard so many stories of better energy, clear skin, no more creaky joints, sleeping better, and more. (Yes, you can buy it already made at health food stores but make it yourself is so much better. Zero preservatives. Made with love. And such a better deal. I can make 2 gallons worth with $12 of bones)
9. Cover your wind gates. What?! My wind what? According to Chinese medicine, sickness enters the body through these points on the body: the back of the neck, the lower back, and the feet. By keeping these areas covered, especially when out in the wind or cold weather, you are preventing sickness from entering your body. So now you have two reasons to wrap up in that cute new scarf! 
10. Eat whole real food. Food that grew out of the earth and not the stuff created in a lab to make it look more appealing. Cook with the seasons, eat what is currently in season and your body will thank you. There is a reason soups and squash sound so good in the fall and salad is appealing in the summer, it's what is best for your body. This is a great place to find easy recipes using real food. 
11. Take a daily dose of magnesium. This vitamin is not talked about often but it plays a big role in your health. Magnesium is what helps your body to calm down. Calcium excites your cells and nerves while magnesium does the opposite and allows you to rest. If you are stressed out emotionally, mentally, and or physically then magnesium will help you. All that stress takes a toll on your immune system so being able to relax is so important. Just a spoonful of this stuff every night before bed will do the trick. 
12. Practice self care. This is a huge priority if you want to stay healthy. I cannot say that enough. Those of us that do too much, take on too much, try to do everything for everyone but always forget about ourselves are the most susceptible to sickness. Make a promise and commit to yourself to do one thing every day that is taking care of you. Even if it just taking 5 minutes to do some body care like pluck your eyebrows, or 45 minutes to take a lavender bath. I love this list from Tiny Buddha. 
13. Get acupuncture. Even if it's just once a month. This hour long treatment will help reset the flow of energy through your body so it is balanced and better able to ward off invaders. Your acupuncturist can also recommend certains herbs or other treatments that can strengthen your health. 

Many of these items have a cost involved, so many readers may think "Oh I can't afford that so I'll skip it." But if you add it all up and consider the cost, one month of the supplements I recommend cost about the same as one dinner out at a restaurant. So skip the restaurant at least once a month, cook a whole food meal at home and now you can afford all the supplements listed above plus you'll enjoy a healthy home cooked meal! 

Plus consider how important your health is to you.... 

Can you afford a sick day? 

What are your priorities? 

What is most important to you in life? 

It's not just about the flu season, it's about the quality of your whole life. I hope this list has helped give you some good ideas and inspire you to make healthy habits! 

FYI: I am not a physician or giving medical advice. I am only sharing what has helped my personal situation. Please consult your physician before making changes to your diet and lifestyle. None of the links included in this post are affiliated with me or profit me in any way.