I'm Sick. What Can
I Do (Naturally)?
Getting a common
cold doesn’t have to be so… common. There are things you can do naturally to
make getting sick less likely.
But, if you do
happen to get sick, there are things you can also do to help support your body
to fight it off.
Good hand hygiene
and overall healthy habits can reduce your risk of getting sick in the first
place. And good nutrition can help your immune system fight off a cold quicker.
Imagine your germ-fighting immune cells all hungry and tired, versus them being
nourished and full of energy.
And that’s what
this post is all about.
First I’ll give you
some tips to reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place. Then, I’ll
let you in on some of my strategies to recover from that cold you may still get
from time to time.
Natural tips to
reduce your risk of sickness
Here are some great
ideas to incorporate into your daily life to reduce your risk of getting sick.
1 - Wash your
hands. A lot. Your hands can trap and transport all kinds of microbes that
cause sickness. And I’m not just talking about colds here, but lots of different
germs.
NOTE: Antibacterial
soap is not recommended! Not only is it no more effective than regular soap and
water, but it can contribute to antibiotic resistance.
2 - Get enough
nutrients. I know this is way oversimplified, but I would be remiss to exclude
it. Every cell in your body, including your immune cells, need enough of all
the essential nutrients. The more nutrition you have, the better and stronger
you will be, especially with vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin A-rich foods include
carrots, sweet potato, and organ meats. Vitamin C-rich foods include bell
peppers and citrus. Vitamin E-rich foods include nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.
3 - Probiotic
foods. Helping our health-promoting gut microbes with more of their probiotic
friends is in order here to help keep the immune system strong. Try 1-2
servings/day of fermented foods and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso,
kefir, and kombucha.
4 - Prebiotic
foods. Feeding those friendly gut microbes their favorite foods can help them
to grow and flourish. They love fibrous foods like onions, asparagus, berries,
bananas, sweet potatoes, whole grains, and seeds. Aim for 2-3 servings/day.
5 - Get enough
sleep. Did you know that our immune system cycles with our circadian system?
When we sleep our immune cells produce antibodies to fight infections. Try to
get at least 7 hours every single night, even when you're feeling great.
Natural tips to
recover from that sickness
When you do get an
infection, not only do you need more nutrients to fight it off, but your body
also has a harder time absorbing and using the nutrients you take in. Sometimes
this is because of reduced hunger, sometimes due to gastrointestinal reasons.
Either way, nourishing your body is even more important. When you do get sick,
make sure you are implementing tips 1-5 plus the tips below that are crucial
for getting over a common cold.
6 - Drink lots of
fluids. Being sick can be dehydrating. Fluids like water, chicken soup, and
green tea are warm, hydrating comfort drinks. Chicken soup is a source of
electrolytes, especially if homemade from a real chicken with lots of
vegetables. Green tea has been shown to boost some of our immune cells, and
this can help to better fight off the invading germ.
7 - Rest and
recover. When your body is fighting an infection, it’s busy working hard for
your health. Give it a break and relax while you’re feeling under the weather.
Conclusion
There are lots of
things we can do to stay healthy and reduce infections naturally. Washing your
hands is a proven way to reduce your risk. And staying healthy in all other
ways helps a lot. Getting enough nutrition, eating probiotic and prebiotic
foods, and getting enough sleep are key year round.
If you do get sick,
keep up all of your good habits above, and make sure to add some warm, healthy
fluids, and extra rest.
What do you do when
you get sick? Let me know in the comments below.
Recipe (Throat
soothing): Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops
½ cup honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
Instructions
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
Instructions
Put ingredients
into a small saucepan.
Stir frequently
until it becomes foamy. Be careful because the honey can burn easily.
Remove from heat
and continue to stir until the foam reduces.
Put the saucepan
back on the heat.
Repeat this until a
candy thermometer reads 300F.
Drop a bit into a
glass of ice water. If the mixture forms a hard, crunchy ball, it's ready! If
not, keep stirring and heating for another minute or two and try with the ice
water again.
Once a hard ball
forms from a drop into the ice water, let the saucepan cool until the foam has
reduced.
Drizzle the candy
into a candy mold or onto oiled parchment paper.
Let cool at room
temperature until the cough drops are hard.
Pop out of the mold
or break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.
Tip: You can sprinkle them with vitamin C powder to keep them from sticking together.
Dedicated To Your Success,
Dr. John Heary, DC, CFT, SFN, PFTS, MMACC, CUSC, CCFT
Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition
Certified Physique and Figure Trainer Specialist
Certified Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Coach
Certified Underground Strength Coach
Certified Fitranx Instructor
Certified TRX Instructor
Certified Corporate Fitness Trainer
Certified Spartan SGX Coach
Certified Weightlifting Performance Coach
(716) 545-4090
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