Did you know that red bell peppers, broccoli, and strawberries (just to name a few), each contain more vitamin C than an orange?! Yessir.

Sickness Behaviors

One of the most interesting facts I learned while in school, was the science behind “sickness behaviors”. These are the well known feelings of fatigue, a slight depression, and wanting to isolate, which are caused by release of specific pro-inflammatory cytokines (signaling messengers sent out by our immune system) when we get sick.

These sickness behaviors (tired, low energy, couch potato vibes) have always served an evolutionary purpose, because they force us to slow down, withdraw ourselves from others, and be alone in order to both take the time to rest and heal, and also so that we don’t infect others in the group. No one wants to be around that grouchy, irritable, sick person right? Exactly.

While that is fascinating, it doesn’t tell you how to get better when you DO inevitably catch what’s going around. Let’s delve into some options for using food as medicine this winter to not just smother your symptoms, but rather to go one step further and actually boost your own body’s innate immune system.

Focusing on nutrition can not only reduce the length of your symptoms, but can reduce susceptibility for getting sick in the first place, meaning maybe the next cold that plagues the office may skip over you, unscathed.

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Whole Food Immunity Boosters

• Chicken soup; add garlic, lemon, ginger, onions.
• Fire cider, a homemade apple cider fermented tonic.
  • Here’s one example: https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/fire-cider
  • You can adapt the recipe in unlimited ways to your preferences
• (Buckwheat) honey is great for coughs/scratchy throat.
• Chopped garlic, swallowed whole after letting rest for 10-15 mins.
• Thyme steam to break up mucus.
  • Add a bunch of fresh thyme springs to a pot and cover with 3 inches of water. Boil, then remove from heat, place head near water and breathe in steam to clear those respiratory passages.
    

Micronutrient Immunity Boosters

• Zinc
  • 30mg/day while sick
• Vitamin D3 supplement
  • 1000-3000 IU taken daily we are almost all low, especially this time of year). Ideally a vitamin D3 paired with K2 with help with absorption. Take with meals, since this is a fat-soluble vitamin.
• Vitamin C
  • 1000mg/day
• Echinacea
  • HerbPharm Super Echinacea liquid, take 1 tsp 4-5x/day when sick
  
  Use GARLIC to boost your immune system when sick:
  

Boost Immunity with Garlic

• “Chop then stop” technique
• Chop 3-4 cloves of garlic, then let rest 10-15 mins (resting allows the healthy phytonutrient allicin to activate after chopping)
• Swallow chopped garlic without chewing
• Repeat 2x/day for duration of sickness
  

Immune Boosting Tea, recommended by Dr. Mark Hyman

• Peel and slice a ginger knob and boil in water for 10-15 mins.
• Crush garlic in a 16-24 oz mason jar
• Add: 1 tbsp honey, juice of 1 lemon, some red pepper flakes.Then pour ginger tea over top.
• Let it steep, then sip on it throughout the day.
• The garlic will make your breath smell, but it will help a lot to boost your immune system.
• Use periodically for maintenance, or make at the first signs of sniffle
  

Other Immune Support

• Managing your stress, slowing down (natural in winter months).
  • Chronic stress blows through our vitamin and mineral reserves, which can leave us depleted and take longer to heal when we get sick.
• Focus on getting 7-9 hours of sleep routinely.
  • While we sleep, our body is hard at work in repair and cleansing mode.
• Saunas and cold plunges can be great when sick.
  • Both stimulate and boosts the innate immune system, which can help both prevent getting sick, as well as while sick.
• Use of humidifiers are great to reduce getting a virus.
  • Keeps respiratory passages supported.

If you find yourself taken down by every cold and sickness that rolls through your household, there are other options for boosting your immune system so you don’t have to go on like this! I’d be happy to help. Feel free to book a free 15-minute call.

Be Well,

Sara