Surviving Cold & Flu Season: Food

This is the second post in a 3-part series.
If you missed the first post click here: Lifestyle

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." 
~ Benjamin Franklin

Cold & Flu season is here. Below you will find some of my favorite tips and tricks that I use to keep my family healthy. Yesterday we discussed lifestyle habits and today we will look at foods that I use as "medicine." Tomorrow we will address herbs, supplements, and homeopathy.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor. These are simply home remedies that I have researched on my own and applied to my family for health and wellness. 

Food: This is nature's medicine at it's finest. While maintaining a healthy diet goes a long way in supporting your immune system, sometimes we need specific ingredients. All of these can be found at your local supermarket. That's the best part about natural cures, they don't have to cost a fortune and they are easy to come by.

• Honey - This is my #1 recommendation for cold & flu season. To get the best effect, you need local, raw honey. It has antibacterial properties and is a big energy booster. It's also great for a sore throat! For maintenance, take 1 tablespoon once a day. If you are feeling sick, up the dose to 1 tablespoon three times a day. Please note that honey should NOT be given to anyone under 12 months of age. 
• Coconut Oil - I heart coconut oil and my favorite brand is Nutiva. It's a very versatile product but also has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties! Seriously miraculous stuff here! Adults can take up to 3 tablespoons per day and you can also cook with it. It's also great for a sore throat and soothes dry skin. 
• Lemon - Fresh lemon juice is packed with vitamin C, which has been shown to boost the immune system. It's also good for detoxifying the body.  
• Garlic - This tiny little thing has lots of immune boosting agents. Raw garlic is best but you can also take it in capsule form. If you are cooking with garlic, be sure to let it "rest" for 10 minutes after chopping so that it seals in all the good stuff. 
• Onions - These are very similar to garlic in that raw is best but you can also include them in cooking if you let them "rest" before cooking. Onions are full of antioxidants, which strengthen your immune system. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar - This product works by balancing out the pH in your system and restore the body. It's also great for reducing fever. I will warn you that the taste isn't pleasant but it can be mixed with other things. 
• Salt - If you have a sore throat, a salt water gargle can help to soothe the discomfort because it reduces inflammation. It can also loosen up mucus from post nasal drip. Research has even shown a 40% decrease in upper respiratory infections when conducted routinely. Heat up a cup of water as warm as you can stand, and mix in 1 tsp of salt. Gargle deep in the throat and spit out. Continue until the liquid is gone. 
• Spices - These items have also been known to have antibacterial & antiviral properties: ginger, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.
• Sugar - If you are sick, you should cut sugar consumption as much as possible. It will just surpress your immune system. Besides, bacteria LOVE sugar so stop feeding them!

Recipes: If sickness occurs, it can often be helpful to combine some of the above ingredients into a powerful potion of sorts. For example:

• 1 tsp warm honey + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp coconut oil = cold buster
• 1 tsp grated ginger + 1 tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp honey + 1 cup hot water = drink to soothe a sore throat
• 4 ounces honey + 4 drops peppermint oil = cough suppressant 
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper + 1 tsp grated ginger + 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar + 1 cup hot water = cold buster

Honestly, you can't really go wrong mixing ingredients here. Just find a combination that you like best and stick with it when you are feeling puny. 

Here is one more food item that I truly recommend because I have seen it work for my family but I know that it is highly controversial. Because it works for me, I'm listing it here anyway because I think it's important. You will need to decide if this is appropriate for your own family.

• Breast Milk - If you are a nursing mother, continue to nurse your baby for as long as possible, even if you are sick. Your body is producing additional antibodies against the infection and passing those antibodies onto your baby. They don't call it "liquid gold" for nothing. If you aren't nursing, consider using donor milk. Because breast milk is full of amazing antibodies, if we are sick, I get breast milk from a trusted friend. For my daughter, I mix some into her own milk. For myself, I use it with a Netti Pot. It gets the antibodies right where they need to be. 

Check back tomorrow for my final installment of how we are Surviving Cold & Flu Season.