Protecting your family through cold and flu season
Cold and flu season is upon us and in full swing. My kids come home on the daily telling me of a kid or teacher that is sick. Luckily, we have escaped the wrath so far, and I want to keep it that way. So, at any sign of a cough or tickly throat, I am giving them elderberry gummies, probiotics, rolling essential oils down their backs and making them wash their hands immediately after we get home. These are all great preventative measures. Don’t get me wrong, if my kids get sick and need medical attention, I am there. I don’t plan on curing a sickness with these tactics, just hopefully preventing them all together.
Keeping my kids good and healthy is half the battle. If they don’t bring germs home, we are less likely to get sick. However, I also need to boost our immune systems as well! Something we as parents, often overlook. So I like to make sure we are protected too. I take my vitamins, probiotic (which is an often forgotten tool for an immunity booster), and drink these warm drinks. They are full of the goodness our bodies need to fight infections and bacteria.
Let me start with the first warm drink. It is a traditional Ayurvedic Tea which is full of immunity boosting ingredients. It is easy to make and very warm and tasty.
- Ginger- Strengthens immune system. Aids in digestion. It can kill bacteria, clean out your lymphatic system and flush toxins. It can also clear congestion.
- Cardamom- Also an immune booster, detoxifies the body, and a great antioxidant.
- Cloves- Aids in digestion, boosts immune system, and effective against bacterial infections.
- Cinnamon- Natural anti-infectious compound, helps fight a cough, cold and clear sinuses.
- Black pepper- Natural antibiotic characteristics, rich in vitamin C and can be a remedy for coughs and cold.
The next drink is even easier than the first and with very few ingredients. Drink this before bedtime and not only will you set yourself up for a great’s night sleep, but your insides will thank you! It is a warm Turmeric Milk drink.
- Turmeric- Anti inflammatory, natural antibiotic, helps cough, aids in digestion, boosts immune system.
- Coconut Milk- Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, boosts immunity, and relaxes muscles.
- Black Pepper- Natural antibiotic characteristics, rich in vitamin C and can be a remedy for coughs and cold.
- Ginger- Strengthens immune system. It can kill bacteria, clean out your lymphatic system and flush toxins. It can also clear congestion.
- Honey- If possible, use raw, local honey. Antiviral, antifungal, contains powerful antioxidants, helps with allergies, great for cough.
The last, but certainly not least, is Bone Broth. I’m not talking about the broth you get from a can or box. I’m talking about your Grandma’s bone broth. Remember when you were little and your grandma’s house always smelled so good? There was a good chance some of the time, she was making bone broth.
*Pauses to take of sip of my steaming bone broth*
It wasn’t until I had kids that I became obsessed with doing research on healthy recipes, foods and way of living. I stumbled upon a recipe for bone broth and fell in love with it. I soon came to realize how much nutritional goodness is in this warm, tasty drink. Bone broth is great as a base for soups, but it really is yummy enough just to sip on throughout the day!! Add a little salt and garlic-tasty treat!! Now, I could go on all day about the health benefits, but I am just going to list the ones that are beneficial during this cold and flu season. You know when you were sick as a child and your mother gave you soup? Bone broth is where this originated from. Regular canned soup doesn’t quite have the same benefits. So here we go…
- Boosts immune system through amino acids.
- Helps heal leaky gut, and aids in digestion, and we know that when our guts are healthy, our bodies are healthier.
- Heals the common cold.
- Fights inflammation.
- Keeps you hydrated.
*Note about bone broth-always use grass fed bones from healthy animals. Your best bet is to get them from a local butcher as they know exactly where they came from.
So that’s it! These are healthy, easy and yummy recipes that will help keep your family healthy and happy! Enjoy!
