Fighting the Flu
This year’s dreadful killer virus that has taken so many precious lives! I empathise especially with parents of little ones and the elderly, this is so very scary and there is plenty good enough reason to rush out for the flu shot… please be clear, I am not discouraging this!
My aim is to get people to realise their own body’s ability to be healthier and stronger by their very own doing, you have that power to strengthen your immune system, I know from my own experience.
I have been patting myself on the back all week. I pretty much do that every winter (I am simultaneously, frantically “touching wood”), I can honestly say I can count on one hand how many colds/flus I have had in the last 12 years.
I am a believer of good nutrition. I don’t want to sound like an angel – I certainly am not that – but I mostly choose to eat what nourishes me… including daily bone broth, all the goodness of vegies (13), ginger, turmeric, acv, lemon water, kefir, probiotics (14), good fats and protein etc. I have also, for over 12 years now, taken daily supplements, mostly Usana which I know are high quality, high potency. I take more pills than I am sure you would have ever had but from what I have learned in my years of studying health and from my, and my customers’ results, I believe they work (12).
Ok so I already have a good, strong immune system… yay for me! I still get signs of the beginning of a cold/virus, so when I feel a tickle in my throat or get the sniffles I pull out the big guns and increase my dosage of vitamin C (10, 11), grape seed extract (9), zinc and mushroom supplement (8), gargle often with salty water, stay warm, have lots of soup and try to rest, and like last week I can be back to normal the next day.
I’m not saying I could do this with the current super flu but I know I would fight it much better than if I hadn’t been nourishing my cells and strengthening my immune system in the first place. I am writing this not to brag but to remind you how amazing our body is, what it is capable of doing if it is nourished and in good condition and that improving our health and strengthening our immunity is in our own hands.… to nourish our cells and be proactive and preventative rather than having to be reactive by reaching for the cold medications – which may make us feel better by masking the symptoms but do not actually help the body fight off that infection or the next (1).
* Our body makes us cough to expel the phlegm (the result of our white blood cells fighting the virus/bacteria) (2,3)
* Our body creates a fever to fight off the invader, the higher temp actually kills viruses (4,5,6,7).
Now, if you would like to understand more about your immune system read this article or please feel free to contact me… I LOVE all this stuff and would be happy to give you some free tips!
As far as supplements, you can go out and buy a Coles Shelf vitamin, it will give you some nutrients your body is probably deficient in, but if you want to get one of the best then ask me about what I take or go straight to my Usana Affiliate site where you can get 10% discount. I have so much good documentation proving these are exceptional quality and am happy to pass it on.
I make a small commission from Usana sales but I would never, never, never promote something I did not believe in and use myself.
Quick Simple Chicken Soup
I love soup… I reckon I average 3-5 soups a week! I especially love chicken soup – laksa or pho.
Lately I have been making the most simplest chicken soup and I love it!.Oh so simply delicious! …. and great when you are not feeling you’re best.
I just throw in a few ginger pieces (left over from our morning ginger, turmeric and ACV tea) in with bone broth, chilli flakes and a little cut up chicken, simmer for a while then I add some more powdered bone broth, pour it over some pakchoy and spring onions.
References
- http://www.center4research.org/facts-medication-colds-flu/
- https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/lungs-and-airways/cough
- https://foundation.chestnet.org/patient-education-resources/cough/
- https://medlineplus.gov/fever.html
- http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2014/the-reason-for-the-season-why-flu-strikes-in-winter/
- https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/07/05/1601942113.full
- https://www.medicaldaily.com/body-heat-kill-viral-infections-common-cold-391713
- https://askthescientists.com/qa/proglucamune/
- https://www.usana.com/media/File/Downloads/NA/Nutritionals/US-ENProflavanolC100.pdf
- https://www.usana.com/media/File/dotCom/company/science/crb/3CRB.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4601508
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17922955 – Vitamins A, C, E, and zinc assist in enhancing the skin barrier function. Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and folic acid, and iron, zinc, copper and selenium work synergistically to support the protective activities of the immune cells. All these micronutrients, with the exception of vitamin C and iron, are essential for the production of antibodies. Zinc is also thought to assist in the development of the immune system by aiding cellular immunity, phagocytosis and natural killer cell activity. vitamin C supplementation can improve antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, proliferation of lymphocytes (white blood cells)
- especially lots of green vegies, carrots, pumpkin (carotenoids), oranges and lemons (vitamin C boosts antibodies as well as white blood cell activity), and onions and garlic (increase the numbers of natural killer cells, T-cells and antibody response, quercetin inhibits the release of histamines – the annoying chemical culprit that makes eyes and noses run)
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385025/ – Our gut bacteria plays a huge role in the strength of our immune system. Probiotics feed your microbiome, boosting your immune system so you are less likely to succumb to the season’s infections.