“Apparently Man-Flu is more painful than childbirth.“

 

Whether you hate getting the flu or just plain hate getting sick, I’ve got a list of 9 natural remedies and immune boosters you can grab from your local grocery store or health store instead.

 

1. Garlic – everyone loves it, but no one wants to smell like they’ve had any. First of all, the compound in garlic that gives you ‘garlic breath’ is actually the active component that helps you fight infection, so you really don’t want odorless garlic! Take a clove of garlic (not the entire bulb…don’t laugh, it happens!). Cut the glove into small pieces. Put it on a spoon, place the spoon into your mouth and then swallow it – without chewing! If you have trouble, chop it smaller. Don’t forget to chase it down with some water.
2. Oil of oregano – this one works very well. Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-everything. You can get this in capsule or liquid form. If you get it in liquid form, make sure to mix it with a little water; otherwise it will feel like it’s burning it’s way down your throat. The other important thing to note…don’t just buy any oregano oil. You want the good stuff – Wild Mediterranean Oregano Oil (Origanum vulgare). Believe it or not, some companies will try to fool you by substituting.
3. Vitamin D – This is something people should be taking daily! With this, you also need to make sure you’re taking the right form. You want vitamin D3 (Cholecaliferol). Vitamin D2 is ineffective. Many people aren’t aware of this, but it must also be taken with vitamin K2 in order to be absorbed. Without it, you have potential for toxicity. Another important thing you need to know about vitamin D….it’s a fat soluble vitamin. In other words, you need to take it with some fat in order to absorb it…just like vitamins A, E and K. You can easily consume 2,000IU’s or more daily during the winter months. I personally take over 5,000IU!
4. Vitamin C – You can and should dose very high with this one – at least 2,000mg daily. It’s a water soluble vitamin, so you don’t have to worry about overdosing. The only side effect you’ll get is diarrhea if you have too much. If that happens to you, lower the dosage a bit. If you can, get vitamin C made of ascorbic acid AND rosehips. You can also eat lots of these: mulberries, elderberries, kiwi, peppers, kale, broccoli, papaya, strawberries, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, pineapple, mango, etc!
5. Mushrooms – Shitake, Maitake and Reishi are some of the best. They help boost white blood cell activity, which is great for fighting any type of infection…bacterial or viral…even cancer.
6. Ginger – If you’ve ever had a fever, headache, nausea, sinus congestion or vomiting, you’d be wise to keep some ginger capsules in your cupboard! They will come in handy the next time you get the flu. If you’re a woman, ginger will help prevent nausea every month. If your tummy can handle it, grate your own ginger and swallow! You can even make a yummy ginger tea by boiling water and adding some fresh ginger root and raw honey.
7. Chlorophyll – Chlorophyll is great for cleansing and purifying the blood. It also speeds up recovery, is high in nutrients and helps to alkalize the body…in fact, illness cannot survive in an alkaline body! Chlorophyll makes a great illness recovery drink and can be consumed as often as you like during the day. You can even drink it straight up. If you’ve been to our clinic, you’ve probably already had our minty version!
8. Echinachea – Many people have heard of echinachea…works great! The key with echinachea is to take it at the first signs of any infection. Take half a teaspoon every hour for the first two days, then slowly reduce the dose to 3 or 4 times daily for the next 3 days!
9. Homemade chicken soup! Using real bones provides the body with the minerals and vitamins the immune system needs. It also helps to release any mucous. My kids demand this soup whenever they’re coming down with something…I keep any leftover bones in the freezer for such an occasion.

Here’s my Recipe for Homemade Turkey/Chicken broth:

• Leftover bones from a chicken or turkey (even beef or fish bones can be used)
• Enough filtered water to almost cover the bones (8 cups or so)
• 1/2 cup sliced leeks
• 2 celery stalks, cut into thirds
• 2 carrots, cut into thirds
• Add any other vegetables or seasonings such as brussel sprouts, cauliflower, garlic or thyme
• Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Heat to boiling and simmer for 1 hour.

When it’s done, remove all the bones and vegetables. You can then add some fresh veggies, sea salt/pepper and simmer until the veggies are cooked. Sometimes I will whisk an egg and add it to the recipe minutes before it’s ready.

 

These options sure beat getting jabbed with a needle (ie. flu shot) and there are many more things I could recommend, but I think this is a great start.

 

Did You Know?

• Vaccinated children have 22% more ear infections, 4x the allergies, 2x asthma, 4x hayfever, 3x ADHD (taken from Dr. Mercola) 
• Coloidal silver is another great anti-microbial – works great for pink eye!
• Gargle with old fashioned sea salt at the first signs of a sore throat – my parents swear by it.
• Astragalus and Golden seal are other excellent herbs for fighting infections.

Also, in keeping with American Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season, we would love to express our Gratitude and Give Thanks…for without you and your referrals, we wouldn’t be here.

Have an awesome Christmas and New Year!

Christine and John