Are you prepared for cold and flu season?
Cold & flu season will be here in the blink of an eye. I know some friends have even had the dreaded summer cold this year. There are healthy habits you can do each day to try and help prevent from catching the cold or flu, but if you do end up catching something there are also healthy habits to help shorten the duration and the severity of the cold or flu.
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1. Drink Lemon Water daily: staying hydrated is vital during this time of year to ensure your running at optimal levels 24 hours a day with fluids. Throwing in some fresh sliced lemon not only adds vitamin C to help your body boost its own immunity, but it also cleanses your liver and keeps your immune system strong. If you don’t get enough vitamin C in your diet I highly recommend Power Pak Electrolyte drink mixes from Trace Minerals. These delicious packets pack in 1,200mg of Vitamin C plus electrolytes which are great if you workout, sweat a lot, or just plain need more hydration in your life.
2. Eat real foods: avoid all the extra sugary treats and snacks at those holiday parties and events. There is a time and place for that, but not 3-4 times per week. Pick your battles and stick to real foods as often as possible. Try eating at least 1 serving of greens per day as a minimum, if you have a hard time getting real veggies in at least pick yourself up a serving of powered greens. (I love FNX Super Balance Greens & TopTrainer Green Superfood Supplement. Bodybuilding.com has some great greens supplements as well.) This will ensure your getting enough micronutrients in your diet to stay healthy. Consuming high amounts of sugar makes your body a breading ground for sickness and makes it more susceptible to getting sick.
3. Get enough sleep: the average person should get around 6-8 hours of quality rest per night. If your traveling more, working more, and sleeping less your going to be vulnerable to sickness. Sleep is when we recharge, repair, and heal so make it a priority. If you run yourself down you will find yourself laying in bed anyways trying to get your health back. Need help getting sleep? Try a calming or meditation app before bed. Or try yoga or light mobility. CBD tinctures and gummies may also be of some help. My top two favorite CBD brands are Charlotte’s Web and Joy Organics. Some more sleep tips here.
4. Purifiy the air in your home. Using an air purifier is a great way to eliminate airborne viruses, pollen, dust, and other pathogens from your home.
5. Diffuse essential oils. Essential oils have many wonderful health benefits like anti-viral, anti-bacterial & can help boost your immune system. You can also make essential oil roller balls to rub on the bottoms of your feet during the cold season as well as if you happen to catch a cold. (More essential oil tips here) My fave shop to buy essential oils is Jade Bloom.
6. Wash your hands with soap and water. Washing your hands frequently will help wash away any germs you come in contact with. I recommend avoiding anti-bacterial soaps because many contain the toxic ingredient Triclosan. Only use hand sanitizer when you can’t get to a bathroom or sink to wash your hands. Many hand sanitizers also contain triclosan and other harmful ingredients. (You can also make your own hand sanitizer with oregano oil and coconut oil.) Don’t want to make your own? Jade Bloom has hand sanitizer you can buy.
7. Eat more warming foods. Ever notice how when the weather gets cold that you don’t crave smoothies any more but instead would rather eat soup & casseroles? That’s because our bodies are trying to keep the Yin and Yang balance which can help prevent illness. Warming foods, like squash, are easier for your body to digest too. Watch out for those high calorie, high fat casseroles though! Stick to roasting veggies, homemade bone broth soups, and other healthy
8. Take a high quality multi-vitamin. It’s always a good idea to eat lots of fruits and veggies to get the most nutrition to keep your immune system working properly, but sometimes we just don’t eat enough. That’s where a high quality multi-vitamin can help fill in the gaps within your diet. Watch out for sneaky brands though. Right now, THIS is the only multi-vitamin I trust to take.
9. Kick a cold with natural cold medicine. If you do get sick and don’t want to take an antibiotic (which kills all the good bacteria in your gut…which leads to more illnesses) then the minute you start to feel sick it’s best to take a natural medicine like Coldeeze or Umcka. (as with all natural remedies you might find one works better than another)
10. Rest & avoid stress. Let your body rest so it can get better faster and avoid stress which will weaken your immune system.
What are your top tips to stay healthy this time of year?
XO,
Carrie A Groff
P.S. How could I forget the best tip of all?! Exercise! One of many health benefits of exercise includes boosting our immune system! Bodybuilding.com has some great workout programs..or you can workout with me virtually or one-on-one!
CG Fitness: Personal Training, Nutrition & Yoga 