5 Immune Boosters
A few years ago I would be writing this to help fend off the cold/flu season…but now in 2022 we are still “fighting” the C Word.
As the latest version of this crown virus passes through our population I am happy to share some very useful tried and true habits that light up my to do list as soon as I see coughing and sniffling anywhere around my family.
See what works for you - this little 5 Immune Boosters is my ‘go to’ when I sense the little buggers getting too close to my happy little cells.
Juice. I make additional batches of my two favorite juice recipes. One is green with habanero spices and the other is a turmeric shot. Click the link for recipes. The Turmeric shot works great with tea and honey if you prefer (my kids love it that way). What’s the benefit of juice? Well, for me juice is like a vitamin. I prefer to fill a sack with leafy greens, cucumbers and fresh herbs…combine them with some lemon for vitamin c and apple for tastiness. My sack will last an entire week and my body absorbs the nutrients like a sponge. Same with the Turmeric shots. I directly juice the roots so I’m squeezing the life and allowing my body to do the rest.
Hydrate. Well along with the juice, we all talk about getting enough fluids. I love water but to get me extra happy about hydrating I make lots of herbal teas. We all know we need quite a lot of fluid daily, but when we are dealing with any type of congestion, that fluid helps to break up the “gunk” and flush it out. Water, more water, and some herbal tea can help you stave off the build up that can happen during a bug. And of course you can add some of the Turmeric blended juice into your tea for a win win!
3 The Neti Pot. I was introduced to the neti pot while studying with the Chopra Center for my Ayurveda Certification. Used for thousands of years in India, the neti pot is a very useful tool for nasal cleansing. Our nose is filtering the air we breath regardless of pollutants, allergens, or viruses. Flushing out the nasal pathways can reduce congestion, build up, and inflammation. Tip: used non iodized salt solution and the local pharmacy now has little packets that go with the pot. Another smart Ayurveda lesson was post nasal cleansing call Nasya. Nasya is the use of a few small drops of oil rubbed into each nostril after the nose is cleared. Nasya oils can be purchased online, of course my favorite (and smells amazing too!) is from the Chopra Center.
4 Sleep. “Just 5 more minutes!” We all want to stretch out the day, but when we binge on late night movies, or cramming computer time, we also feel like shouting at our alarm clocks the following morning… In the fall I published the blog post for time change, which is mostly about developing a good bed time routine. Here is that link. We really do need an average of 8 hours of sleep each night. Especially when we are low on energy while dealing with a virus. We heal when we sleep, we transform. All the stuff will still be there in the morning, so you can deal with it while healthy and energetic - it’s better that way anyway!
5 Prana. You’ve heard of pranayama in yoga. It is typically related to breath exercises. But just “Prana” means life force. It is the reason the breathwork is titled that way, as breath is the first, and last act of life. When I mention that prana is a tool for building immunity, I’m drawing awareness to the appreciation of the life we are surrounded by each and every day. When you wake in the morning, do you hear the birds begin singing as the sun rises from the eastern mountains? As you step outside, can you smell the dew and earth or the pine needles warming in the sun? These are simple examples of adding more conscious prana activities to your day. Even if you imagine the sensations of life, it does our physical and cellular body such good! Maybe there is only a short 10 min. window, but you close your eyes and mentally walk the beach, feeling the cool sand or cold water on your toes, or inhaling the breeze from the salty ocean. Or even driving home in the evening, and noticing the brilliant colors of the sky as the sun sets, or the stars sparkle through the darkness. We are prana. and as healthy human beings. the more we tune and focus to the abundant life around us, we will thrive.
