'Tis the Season

    This is a great time of year.  People are typically more generous to each other, there are many family gatherings and holiday parties, and good spirits are shared all around.  However, there are also other, not so pleasant, things shared.  Welcome to cold and flu season.  The CDC releases information about cold and flu season every year.  Usually it starts in October and can continue on into May.  The worst part of it is February with December being strong in second place.  So now is the time to pump up your immune system in preparation for the hard times. 

     Prevention is the best medicine.  But how do you prevent the cold or flu? 

1.       Proper diet is paramount to health.  Most people should avoid grains, sugars, and other starchy foods, but everyone has different needs.  Good basics include eating organic as much as possible, drinking plenty of water, and “eating the rainbow.”  Eating the rainbow is my number one rule for daily consumption.  If you eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables from each of the colors of the rainbow, you are consuming a good variety of nutrients.  This season, focusing on the yellow and orange fruits and vegetables will also help you boost your immunity because those colors are associated with higher amounts of vitamin C. 

2.       Wash up often.  Wash your hands for 20+ seconds at a time, don’t forget between your fingers and around your nails.  Hand sanitizers can also help prevent the spread of these viruses, I make one at home that works well, if you are using my recipe, add in the optional rubbing alcohol for this time of year.  Also adding in 10+ drops of peppermint essential oil can help target viruses instead of bacteria. 

3.       Regular exercise helps boost the body’s immune function.  All you need is 45 minutes of stretching and/or moderate-intensity exercise a week in order to increase your immunity.

4.       Herbs can also be a huge help in prevention.  Garlic is great to help prevent and fight viruses, it is best raw and crushed because that releases the allicin which is the main compound that fights off viruses and the allicin can be destroyed by excessive heat.  Ginseng and Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) both can help to boost immune function to prevent viral infections.  Astragalus has also been used in Chinese medicine to prevent viral infections.  Astragalus can be combined with garlic for a great broth, especially if you are making a bone broth which has many health benefits all its own. 

5.       Bone broth helps to boost immunity in addition to its other amazing benefits.  This is why chicken soup is so effective against colds and flu, it’s all in the bone broth. 

     When prevention is not enough we have to look at treatments.

1.       Avoid dairy.  Dairy increases mucus production which can slow healing.  And let’s face it, we’re already producing excess mucus while we’re sick, we really don’t want to produce any more. 

2.       Consume lots of hot liquids.  Warm teas, warm lemon water, soups, these are all beneficial while we are sick.  Our bodies really don’t need to be focusing on digestion much either, so drinking the warm liquids and eating mostly soup will help build up the body’s strength while not burdening it with lots of digestive issues.  Not to mention, bone broth is great at boosting immune function and herbal teas can have benefits all their own. 

3.       Herbs are wonderful remedies as well.  Adding fresh herbs to teas or soups can help speed up the healing process greatly.  Ginger helps with nausea, vomiting, high fever, and headaches.  Ginger goes well in teas and soups alike.  Nettle is a great multivitamin and can also help ease symptoms in upper respiratory infections.  I add it to most foods and it’s great in a tea with red raspberry leaves and peppermint.  Elderberry is so good in treating the flu that you can now find elderberry medicine in your neighborhood drug store.  However it’s easy to make your own, Wellness Mamma has a great elderberry syrup recipe here and elderberry syrup is delicious so you should not have a problem getting your child to take some.  Yarrow is great whenever a fever is involved, and it’s especially good for children.  Unfortunately it is a bit bitter, so adding in peppermint and honey are a good idea, they are both also really good for colds and flu so they can add their own benefits as well.  All the herbs previously listed for prevention are also good to continue while you are ill.

4.       Increasing vitamins C and D intake can also be a great benefit.  These two vitamins help strengthen our immunity and fight off colds and flu. 

5.       Don’t hinder your body’s natural defenses.  We are coughing because our bodies are trying to expel virus-laden mucus from our respiratory track.  Keep coughing and try not to suppress it with over-the-counter medications.  Instead try thinning the mucus out with steam (essential oils can be beneficial here, eucalyptus and peppermint are two good ones) and drinking plenty of fluids.  It may be annoying and, in some cases painful, but as long as your cough is productive (you’re coughing up mucus) it’s beneficial to keep it up.  Same thing goes for your runny nose.  I like to make sure that I don’t sniffle back the mucus in my sinuses.  It can prolong sickness and possibly cause a sinus infection later on.  I just invest in the good tissues (I prefer to use the ones infused with vicks) and blow my nose often. 

6.       Hydration and rest can be the best medicine!  We need several additional hours of rest a day when we are sick, but we also need more liquids to help support immune function. 

     I hope you find this helpful and useful this season.  Enjoy your gatherings, your family, and your friends and stay healthy!

Resources:

Breaking Muscle- Flu-Buster Bone Broth for a stronger immune system: https://breakingmuscle.com/fuel/flu-buster-bone-broth-for-a-stronger-immune-system

Center for Disease Control- Cold and Flu Season: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm

Dr. Axe- Healing Power of Bone Broth: https://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/

Life Hacker- What it means to “eat the rainbow”: http://lifehacker.com/what-it-means-to-eat-the-rainbow-1594799068

Mother Earth News- 19 Ways to prevent and treat cold and flu: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/herbal-remedies/colds-and-flu-zm0z12djzhir?pageid=1#PageContent1

Mother Earth News- Natural, effective remedies for cold and flu: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/natural-effective-remedies-for-colds-and-flu-zmaz07djzgoe

Wellness Mamma- 25 Natural remedies to help beat cold & flu: http://wellnessmama.com/1499/natural-remedies-for-illness/

Summer Sunburn Relief

    If living in Florida has taught me one thing, it’s how to care for sunburns.  Florida’s reputation as the “sunshine state” is well earned.  Even in the middle of a rainstorm, the sun can be out in full force.  With my pale skin, it doesn’t talk long for me to burn to a crisp.  Of course, the best thing to do is to protect yourself and prevent sunburn by applying sunblock, staying in the shade, and wearing protective clothing.  If you get caught out in the sun too long, however, here are some natural ways to help heal and relieve the pain of sunburn.

Aloe

    One of the best things for sunburns is aloe.  Aloe naturally relieves pain, reduces inflammation, repairs damaged skin cells, strengthens the immune system, accelerates the healing process, and fights off bacteria that can cause infection.  It also forms a protective layer over the skin which helps hold in moisture while adding extra hydration.  This basically means that aloe is a powerhouse for healing any burn.  The easiest way to use aloe is to cut a leaf and squeeze the gel onto the burn, or cut the leaf and scoop out the gel.  Apply the gel to the burn and leave it until it dries.  If it starts to get sticky wash it off.  However, this method can be difficult for sunburns that cover a large area, so I recommend harvesting the gel ahead of time and keeping it in your fridge.  You can also freeze it in icecube trays to have an extra bit of relief from the cold.  You can also add other things to your aloe gel, such as cucumbers which also help soothe the inflamed skin.  Just cut the aloe leaf, scoop out the gel, peel and dice the cucumber, put them into a blender and blend until smooth.  Leave this mixture on the burn for 30 min. 

Sunburn Tea

    Oddly enough, one of the best things you can use for sunburn is one of the staples in almost every southern home.  Iced tea.  Black tea has quite a few amazing qualities that help heal and soothe skin after a sunburn.  Adding in a mixture of other healing herbs can make for an amazing sunburn relief tea that you can then apply (either by blotting with a cloth or by spraying on) as often as you need.  My favorite mixture is black tea, lavender, rose petals, peppermint, yarrow, and apple cider vinegar. 

Black Tea- Earl grey tea seems to work best on sunburns, I suspect this is due to the bergamot that gives earl grey its distinctive taste.  Black tea is packed full of antioxidants which help to block the harmful effects of the sun, even after sun exposure.  It also is full of tannins which help to reduce post-sun inflammation.  Earl gray is black tea and bergamot oil.  Bergamot is full of more antioxidants.  But it is also from a citrus fruit and all citrus helps boost immune function, but bergamot is also a pain reliever. 

Lavender- Lavender is calming, and soothing to the nerves.  It also helps to tone the skin.  Essential oil of lavender is also a great topical pain reliever. 

Rose Petals- Rose petals are high in vitamin C which helps boost immune function.  They also have a great cooling effect on the skin. 

Peppermint- Peppermint has an amazing cooling effect and it helps to reduce inflammation. 

Yarrow- Yarrow speeds up the healing process for wounds and reduces inflammation.  It also prevents blistering and peeling.

Apple Cider Vinegar- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is great for taking the sting out of burns.  It also is full of amazing nutrients that help to fight infection and heal the skin. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup water

2 bags of good quality Earl Grey

1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

1 teaspoon dried rose petals

1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves

1`teaspoon dried yarrow leaves and/or flowers

½ cup raw apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

Bring the water to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add in the tea and the herbs.  Let it steep for 30+ minutes.  Strain into a glass container.  Add in the apple cider vinegar.  If you want, you can add 5 drops of lavender essential oil for added relief.  Storing this is the refrigerator not only adds to the shelf life, but it also adds a bit more cooling relief upon application.

Sunburn Cream

    Creams are good to have premade.  This one is good to keep around for any kind of burn, it also works well for sores and razor burn. 

Witch Hazel- Witch hazel is great to heal all kinds of skin issues.  It will help prevent blisters and peeling as well as reduce inflammation.

Coconut Oil- Coconut oil is a great moisturizer and it helps to reduce the pain of sunburns. 

Cornstarch- Cornstarch helps relieve the pain of the sunburn and has a cooling effect.

Ingredients:

½ cup witch hazel

1 cup water

3 tablespoons aloe gel (fresh is best, but don’t use the green or blue stuff from the store)

About ½ cup cornstarch

3 teaspoons coconut oil

10 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions:

Put the water, witch hazel and aloe gel in a glass container.  Mix these together, cover, and let sit for 2 hours.  After the two hours, add the remaining ingredients and mix together (you can use a blender or food processor if you want) until creamy.  You can add more cornstarch if it’s too watery or more water if it’s too thick.  The texture you are looking for is similar to a lotion.  Let it sit for 24 hours before use.  Store in a tightly lidded jar, in the fridge.  Will keep for several weeks.

Potato Paste

    Yes, this next recipe is essentially mashed, raw potatoes, but it really works.  Just like cornstarch, potato starch works wonders on sunburns.  It draws out the heat and toxins from the burn and alleviates the pain and has a cooling effect.  Some people slice raw potatoes and just apply them to the burns, but this paste is a little more effective and has better skin coverage for those pesky sunburns. 

Instructions:

Wash some potatoes, leave the skins on, and put them in the food processor.  Add a little water to moisten the paste.  Apply to your sunburn, but don’t rub it in, dab it on.  Keep it there for 30 minutes.  Discard the potato paste afterwards.

    I hope these tips and recipes help you with your sunburns, but don’t forget to protect your skin before you go out into the summer sun!

Resources:

DIY & Crafts: http://www.diyncrafts.com/6768/health/5-natural-sunburn-remedies-instantly-stop-pain-prevent-peeling

Home Remedies for Life: http://homeremediesforlife.com/aloe-vera-for-sunburn/

Love to Know: http://skincare.lovetoknow.com/Severe_Sunburn_Old-Fashioned_Remedy

Organic Facts: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-bergamot-essential-oil.html

Today in Dietzville: http://todayindietzville.com/2016/05/sunburn-tea-natural-sunburn-remedies/

Top 10 Grocery Secrets: http://www.top10grocerysecrets.com/2015-09-28-top-10-medicinal-plants-natural-sunburn-relief