Tons of Tea: Traditional Medicinals is the bomb. I go for Echinacea Elder and Gypsy Cold Care. I've been drinking strong batches of both throughout the day (think 6-8 tea bags). If you throat is scratchy, Throat Coat is a lifesaver.
Raw Honey: Soothing to the throat, easy on the blood sugar, stirred into my tea. In general, when fighting any kind of infection, it's best to stay away from sugar and sweets. Too much sugar puts stress on the digestive and immune system... and we want to strengthen! Find healthy sweets like fresh fruit, full of fiber and vitamins.
Probiotics: Your immune system is based 70% on your digestion! By eating lots of clean, nutrient dense foods (keep reading!) and giving my body extra "good guys" to digest it all, I'm doing myself a huge favor. I've been taking probiotic pills (look for multiple strains, with a high count), drinking kombucha (a fermented tea drink), and eating up plenty of raw sauerkraut (it's all gone already)!
Fruit: Clementines and lemons are full of vitamin C! I'm juicing them, eating them, putting them in green smoothies. These things are all alkalizing (not acidifying) to the body. Our bodies heal most effectively from an alkaline state... and the vitamin C is great too. I've been supplementing a bit with some vitamin C powder as well (it just didn't make the picture). Green apples are also making it into my regimen - in smoothies and as a tart pick-me-up snack with nuts and seeds.
Greens: The most nutrient-packed foods we can get our hands on are fresh greens. I've stocked up on spinach, collards, and kale for smoothies and cooking with my lunch and dinners. Eating them however and as much as I can!
Healthy Fats: Avocados, chia seeds, walnuts, hemp and flax, coconut oil, salmon and sardines... all full of good, clean healthy fats to help my body assimilate and use all of the good nutrients I'm eating up. Omega-3's are really important for helping my body stay in an anti-inflammatory state, best for healing and getting better!
Clean eats: My focus for eating is around eating clean, nutrition-packed foods as much as possible. I picked up some chia and goji berries yesterday at Whole Foods, along with a lot of the goodies you see above. This also means staying away from foods that promote mucous (I have plenty of that going on already): mainly milk, cheese, butter and eggs. I've been eating lots of brown rice, oatmeal, veggie stir fries, chicken breast, squash, nuts and seeds, smoothies, salmon, and superfoods.
The last ingredients in my line-up? Lots of sleep, naps, staying in, reading, hot baths, showers, drying brushing and oiling my skin, calling my mom, watching movies, snuggling by the fire, slow walks around the block (fresh air and a little movement does wonders).
Basically, I'm doing my best, turning up my ultimate self-care knob to 11.
Ready to feel better: Make a list of what you want and send someone else out to the store for you!
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