How to Protect Your Immune Health

Hi friends! Immune health and sickness have been on our minds a lot over the last two years and while the information I’m sharing today isn’t new, I wanted to give it a refresh because, let’s just be honest, there’s some misinformation, as well as just weird info out there right now on this topic. I understand that it’s easy to get caught up in fear and have so much advice thrown at you that you don’t really know who to trust sometimes. So today's episode is a few simple reminders of ways to support and protect your immune system’s ability to do its job.

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So right from the start, I want to say that what I’m talking about today isn’t a treatment protocol in any way. This is education about the immune system and how you can best support it and protects it so that it can do the job it was designed to do. Our bodies were created so intricately and intelligently, and our immune systems know what to do - just like our hearts know how to pump blood through our bodies and our stomachs know how to digest food, however that doesn’t mean we can and treat our bodies any ole way and expect them to function well, right?.  Just as with our cardiovascular health or our digestive health, the way we live our lives - what we eat and drink, how we sleep, how we manage stress, etc. all affect our immune health as well. 

So that brings us to what we can do to support our immune systems and help them function well. 

As with just about everything else, we have to start with the gut. Over 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut. Studies have shown that the immune system is actually influenced and taught by the gut microbiome. The microbiome helps determine the vitality of the immune system and its response to infection. We can easily conclude that poor gut health equals poor immune system function. So that is where I think we start. 

Support good gut health 

Two main aspects that I focus on when working on gut health are protecting the gut lining and supporting a healthy microbiome - both are crucial for good gut function and overall health. 

One of the main ways to protect the gut lining is to repair any current damage. Increased intestinal permeability (aka Leaky Gut) is more common than you may think and doesn’t always look like digestive symptoms, although it certainly can. When the gut lining is healthy, it creates a tight barrier all along our digestive tract, but when it is damaged large holes or openings can happen along the tract that allows food particles, toxins, bacteria, etc. to escape into the bloodstream. This causes chronic inflammation in the body which can make you more susceptible to illness and impair your immune response. 

One of the simplest ways to help repair the gut lining is by incorporating bone broth into your daily dietary intake either through drinking it or using a bone broth powder.

When it comes to the microbiome, the goal is to have a healthy balance of microbes. We are made up of trillions of tiny microbes, some good guys, and some not so much. When the bad guys (or pathogenic/opportunistic) outweigh the good guys, that’s called Dysbiosis. Research has linked dysbiosis to many common diseases as well as an altered, impaired immune response. 

A few ways to support a healthy microbiome are: repairing your gut lining, taking a quality, multi-strain probiotic; reducing food-related toxins like herbicides and pesticides, antibiotics in meat, etc.; promote healthy digestion and nutrient absorption by chewing thoroughly and not rushing through meals or eating when overly stressed. 

It’s also a good idea to eat a wide variety of high-fiber fruits and vegetables. One great way to expand your variety is by eating seasonally and trying 1 new fruit or veggie each time you buy groceries. 

Lastly in regard to gut health and food, remember to be mindful of your sugar intake, especially this time of year. I absolutely all the fall/holiday desserts and treats that come along with the holiday season, but the intake of sugar can quickly add up and start to cause inflammation in the body. Enjoy the season to the fullest while also being intentional. 

Mind your S’s

In addition to caring for your gut, a few other lifestyle factors have a huge impact on our immune health. I like to call them the 3 Ss - sweat, stress, and sleep. 

Sweat

We all know that we need to exercise regularly to keep our bodies functioning well, but I’m not sure that we often think of it in relation to our immune systems. When we exercise - move for an extended period of time and get our heart rates elevated a bit, it also helps to create movement in our lymphatic system - which helps our bodies get rid of toxins, it increases oxygen to all areas of our bodies - which increases healing, and helps to reduce stress and chronic inflammation. 

In addition to exercise, I also love the use of a combo of dry brushing and either regular detox baths or a sauna to induce sweating and release toxins from the body. This can be especially helpful when you start to feel sick and may not have the energy for exercise. 

Stress

Stress activates our fight or flight response, which when experienced in short-term situations, can actually activate the immune system to fight off an infection or “intruder” more quickly. Chronic stress experienced in a long-term situation, however, can have detrimental effects on the immune system by triggering chronic inflammation and altering the production of cytokines and T-cells which work to protect our bodies. 

So a couple of quick reminders on ways to reduce the effects of chronic stress on the body: 

Exercise, as we just talked about, can induce the good effects of short-term stress and activating the immune system, while also allowing cortisol (stress hormone) levels to regulate, which can help with inflammation. Practicing mindfulness and meditation, including deep breathing exercises can also help to regulate cortisol levels and allow the body to enter into the rest and digest state. Another great way to help your body deal with stress, and therefore support your immune system, is to get outside every day. In addition to the vitamin D, the fresh air often helps to reset mood and can also help with circadian rhythms, which can help with the last S that I want to mention today, sleep (Ideally, you can combine these three things together).

Sleep

Sleep is really one of the most important components of supporting good health in general, and especially of supporting and protecting the immune system. Getting enough good-quality sleep enables a well-balanced immune defense. Research has shown that during certain phases of sleep that immune function actually increases, which allows the body to more efficiently overcome illness and injury, as well as increase immune memory which allows the body to be better prepared to fend off future illness. 

The opposite is also true, lack of good-quality sleep can interfere with the healthy functioning of the immune system. Sleep deprivation has been linked to short-term illnesses such as viral infections, as well as long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases as well as depression and even cancer. It is believed that this is connected to increased chronic inflammation levels in the body brought about by the lack of sleep. 

I have an entire episode on sleep that’s full of tips (episode 29) but I wanted to share a few quick ways to help prioritize good-quality sleep. 

Both exercise and managing stress which we just discussed go a long way in promoting good sleep at night. All three of these - sleep, stress, and exercise - work cyclically together, each one helping in the other areas. 

Also, having a good bedtime routine that you do consistently each night can help trigger the brain that it’s time for sleep. Avoiding blue light after dark and any kind of emotional stressor, as best as you can control it. Research shows that your body gets the most restorative sleep, in which the immune system can actually strengthen and renew itself, in the window of time about 3-4 hours after the sun goes down. This would mean that it’s important to be getting into bed well before this time so that you are sure to be asleep as this window of extra-restorative sleep begins.

These are truly the foundation of a healthy immune system - good gut health and solid lifestyle behaviors that support your body’s ability to function properly. 

Extra support 

In addition to that foundation, you may need some extra support, which in my opinion is where vitamins, minerals, and other supplements are helpful. 

I have another episode that dives more into each of these areas, so I’m not going to get very into it today, but I often get questions about what is helpful, so I want to briefly mention it. 

• Whole-food multivitamins to fill in nutritional gaps 

• Whole-food multimineral can also be helpful, especially with sleep (magnesium)

• Probiotics (multi-strain)

• Vitamin C (liposomal in time of stress or sickness) and vitamin D (especially in the winter months)

It’s true that the more intentional you are for caring for and supporting your body, the better it will function. That’s not to say you will never get sick, you will - and that’s okay. Your body is intelligent enough to know what to do. We just need to be sure that we are supporting it well and not living our lives in such a way that it hinders its ability to function well. 

I hope that this episode has been helpful to you and gave you some good reminders of how to support and protect your immune system, especially as we continue to manage life during a pandemic, and especially as we get into the fall and winter months. 

If you have any questions, email info@yourhealthforward.com.

I also have opened my schedule back up for a few new clients for the fall, and I would love to help you. Schedule a free health coaching discovery call here.

Reference: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/gut-health-immune-response/; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/;

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24798553/; https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/how-sleep-affects-immunity

*Disclaimer: Product links listed in this episode are affiliate links that provide a small commission to me with no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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How I Supported My Body through Surgery

Hi friends!! In today’s episode, I’m sharing about my recent endometriosis surgery and some of the things that I did, both pre-op and post-op, to support my body through the process. My hope is that this episode will help those of you who may be looking at an endo-surgery for yourself or a friend/family member, but also for anyone who may have any kind of abdominal surgery, or really any surgery at all. Surgery is hard on the body and providing it with a little extra support can go a long way in speeding up recovery time and post-op symptoms.

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So in the last episode, I shared with you guys that I was going to be having another surgery for endometriosis and that I would update you on how everything went, as well as how I supported my body through the process. So today, I want to share those things with you. 

I’m about 1.5 months post-op at this point and thankfully, feeling really good! Overall, this was the smoothest and best surgery experience that I’ve had (of the 3) and I’m so grateful for that! I had a whole lot of people supporting me - praying for me and helping out - which I think has played a huge part in how smoothly I’ve recovered, but I also think that doing a few things both before and after surgery has really helped, as well. 

Pre-Op:

As anyone who has ever had surgery knows, it’s quite hard on the body. So, a few weeks before my surgery date I started doing a few things to both strengthen my immune system. I was already taking a prenatal vitamin as well as omega-3 supplements, CBD oil, and a probiotic daily - so I made sure to be very consistent with those. I also started taking an additional dose of liposomal vitamin c and vitamin d. I also tried to be really consistent with moving my body and getting good sleep. I even added melatonin to my regiment a few times a week, just to ensure that I was getting good, deep sleep and because it acts as an antioxidant. (Note- I did stop the omega 3s and melatonin one week before sx as they can thin the blood a bit). 

I also wanted to support my detox pathways as much as possible, knowing that I was going to be given a lot of medication (which I very gladly accepted), so I upped the times of week that dry-brushed and took detox baths. 

The surgery itself went very well. Going into it, I knew that I had cysts on both ovaries, and given that it had been 6 years since my last surgery, I honestly expected for it to be really severe. However, the surgery only took a little over an hour and there were very few lesions, at least in comparison to last time ((where I had stage 4 lesions). My doctor was also quite surprised and happy with that. As I said, I was given so much medication - more so than any other surgery prior, but again - I gladly accepted it. Thankfully, I had no complications (and had a very easy IV stick, which is usually not the case for me), so I was able to go home shortly after waking up. I will say that if you ever find yourself needing to have surgery, get yourself a BFF that’s a nurse to go with you! I basically had my own private nurse who took great care of me, kept me laughing and chatting all day, and was looking over everyone’s shoulder to make sure everything went according to plan. :) {Chrissy, you’re the real MVP here!} 

Post-Op:

So, once I got home, I was given meds to help with both pain and nausea. Thankfully, I didn’t experience that much nausea this time, but I did stay on top of it with the meds for the first 24 hours. Trust me when I tell you that puking and abdominal incisions DO NOT go well together. DO NOT RECOMMEND. I was pretty bloated and uncomfortable from the CO2 that they use to inflate the abdomen for surgery. This is a super common symptom after any kind of laparoscopic abdominal surgery and usually resolves in a day or less. 

The next few days looked like a lot of resting and sleeping as much as I could (hello, 3-yr old:)). I was pretty unsteady for about 24 hours and needed help getting up and down for a couple days. The pain stayed at a moderate level for 3-4 days and was easily manageable with the pain meds and I was able to wean down to just taking Aleve after about 3-4 days. 

During this time I did try to get in as much bone broth / bb protein as I could to start helping my gut recover from all the meds. I also upped my daily dose of probiotics since I was given antibiotics during surgery and also went back to taking the omega supplement as well as CBD, vitamin D, and extra vitamin C. 

Within a couple of days, I found myself wanting to move more, but I quickly had to learn to listen to my body because if I was walking around more than about 5 minutes, I would start bleeding more. That probably lasted for about 5ish days and then I was able to extend that time. 

One of the most challenging parts for me this time was the effect that the anesthesia (and possibly some of the meds) had on me emotionally/mentally. I felt super foggy and kind of just in a funk for about a week. I don’t remember that being an issue in previous surgeries. 

I would say that I was feeling back to myself, at least 90%, at about 2 weeks post-op, and now I am fully 100% back to normal, or honestly probably a little better than I was before surgery. I’m working my way into exercise, prioritizing my core strength and pelvic floor right now, so doing mainly Pilates for that. I’m also continuing with my vitamin/supplement regimen with the extra vitamin c and higher probiotic doses daily, as well as trying to get 3-4 dry brushing sessions and detox baths every week. 

My post-op appointment went really well and so we will resume trying on our own for baby #2 for a while. I will go back in for a follow-up in about 4-5 months, and I am starting acupuncture back next week (a couple of episodes on that if you want to know more - episode 32 and episode 54). So we’re hopeful and will just see what happens. Right now, I’m just really thankful to have the surgery behind me and to be feeling good, less inflamed, and more energetic. 

I hope that this episode has been helpful for you! If you have an upcoming surgery, I hope that you will use some of these tips and ideas as you prepare and recover. If you know someone with #endo or who may have surgery coming up, pass this episode along to them. It can be so unnerving not knowing what to expect or what recovery may look like, so I hope sharing my experience will help a little with that as well as empower you to know that there are things that you can do to help support your recovery. 

Before I leave you for today, I wanted to share with you a little encouragement - especially for those of you who may be facing surgery or any kind of concern over your health. The morning of surgery, I opened my Bible for a few minutes with God before heading to the hospital. I knew I didn’t have a lot of time, so I just randomly opened it, planning to just read a Psalm or Proverb. I opened it to Psalm 35, to a verse I don’t even remember reading before, that said “He takes pleasure in His servant’s well-being” and it brought me so much peace. I hope it brings peace to you as well! 

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CBD: What You Need to Know

Hi friends! In today’s episode, we are talking about CBD. CBD can be a controversial topic (what isn’t these days?🙃 ). Some people have found it to be extremely helpful and rave about it, others are skeptical or downright condemning of it. I’m not here to be a CBD pusher, but I do want you to be educated as to what it is, how it works in the body, and how it may be beneficial for your health so that you can make an informed decision. 

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It’s common to think that CBD is a recent trend in the health/wellness world, but actually, various forms of the cannabis plant have been used for thousands and thousands of years. Chinese medicine textbooks, dating back to 2900 BC (like early Bible, pre-Abraham times) note its use for its healing properties, including pain relief, sleep aid, and anxiety reduction. Its use is also noted in medical texts from India and Greece dating back thousands of years ago. As a matter of fact, the cannabis plant was a commonly used medicine in the US in the 1800s (apparently they even prescribed it to help with baby’s teething pain) until fears about it began to circulate in the 1940s, and then it was actually banned in the US in 1970. CBD has now been made legal again at the federal level across the US and the FDA even approved its first CBD-derived medication in 2018. So even though it may feel new and trendy - it most certainly is not. 

What is CBD?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a cannabinoid, which means it’s a therapeutic substance derived from part of the cannabis plant. There are actually lots of different kinds of cannabinoids, and CBD along with many others primarily comes from the leaves and flowers of the Hemp plant (which is a type of cannabis plant). Hemp is also used to make clothing, paper, etc. 

Although CBD is the one we hear the most about, the hemp plant contains many different types of cannabinoids including CBG, CBN, and THC (which is likely what you know as the intoxicating component of hemp).

So, I think it's important to realize that these terms mean different things. CBD and hemp are not synonymous. CBD is one component of the hemp plant. CBD is not marijuana, although both can be derived from different parts of the hemp plant. 

Each component has a different way that it affects systems in the body. 

How does it work?

Our bodies actually house a system made up of neurotransmitters and receptors called the endocannabinoid system. These receptors are found all over the body (brain, skin, muscles, GI tract, immune cells, heart, and blood vessels - just to name a few) and respond to chemicals released by the endocannabinoid system naturally to help keep our bodies healthy. This system plays a part in regulating many different functions in the body, including mood, memory, gut health, hormone balance, pain, inflammation, immunity, and appetite. Its overall purpose is to keep our bodies in homeostasis- or a steady state of function. 

The different types of cannabinoids from the hemp plant, actually connect to our internal endocannabinoid receptors and cause them to release healing effects on the body. 

What are the health benefits of CBD?

When talking about CBD specifically, it connects to TR PV1 receptors in the body and can help in reducing anxiety, nausea, pain, and inflammation, it has also been reported to help with seizure disorders, improve sleep, aid digestion, and help with hormone balance. 

It helps our bodies move out of the “fight or flight” (sympathetic) state and into a more relaxed, “rest and digest” (parasympathetic) state so it’s great for dealing with stress. 

CBD is also an antioxidant that is believed to be more potent than even vitamin C and is protective of the brain as well.  

So as you can see, there are a lot of possible health benefits from taking CBD. So maybe you’re wondering if it would be good for you. There aren’t any known serious adverse effects of taking a pure CBD oil, although some have experienced GI upset, some drowsiness, and fatigue - although in a lot of those instances, it’s possible that the dosages were too high. 

Recommendations

It is recommended to take a full-spectrum CBD oil, that will include other types of cannabinoids (CBG, CBN) and terpenes, which all work together and each has receptors in the endocannabinoid system. This does mean that it will include THC, but only at or below the federally legal level of .3% - which means it will not cause any intoxication. 

There are also brands that are completely THC-free, just be aware that you may not get quite as many benefits from it as you would a full-spectrum option, but it would still be beneficial. 

For general wellness purposes, a daily dose of 10-50 mg is recommended. For dealing with chronic pain or inflammation, a daily dose of 10-100 mg is recommended. As with most herbal supplements, it’s best to start with a small dose and then work your way up until you feel it’s at a good level.

Personally, I’m a big fan of the Ancient Nutrition brand of CBD products. They have oil, capsules, and a powder option that is mixed with collagen peptides. All of their CBD products are organic and third-party tested, so you can trust that they are pure and completely safe to take. They are also full-spectrum CBD products that also include other inflammation-fighting ingredients like turmeric, black pepper, and MCT oil, so you get the maximum health benefits.

Q&A

On social media this week, I asked what questions you guys had about CBD, so I’m going to answer a few of those very quickly: 

Will CBD show up on a drug test? 

In order to be legal in this country, a CBD product must contain less than .3% THC, which means it should not show up on a drug test. However, I would think about a few things if this is something that concerns you or if you need to consider it for your job, etc.: A full-spectrum CBD product will contain THC, so there is always a small chance that it could show. If you are worried about that, I would just opt for the THC-free options, also known as a CBD isolate, which means that the whole hemp plant wasn’t used, only the Cannabidiol. Also, just be mindful of where you purchase CBD. Personally, I wouldn’t buy it from just any pop-up shop or tent on the side of the road :). I would only purchase for a source that I know does extensive third-party testing and guarantees a pure product. 

Is it really beneficial to consume CBD orally? 

I guess most of this episode has already answered this question but I also wanted to point out that there are also some brands that offer CBD-infused creams and lotions for topical pain relief. These can also be helpful, but you won’t get the systemic benefits that I mentioned before in just a topical product. Also, I would recommend opting for an organic option even in a topical option, because hemp plants can often be sprayed heavily with toxic chemicals, which then will be sitting on your skin.  

Is CBD good for a sleep aid? 

A great question! Overall, CBD is going to help your body be in a more relaxed state, which should naturally lend itself to better sleep. There is also specific research, a study done in 2020 by Digestive Disease and Sciences, that looked at people with a painful disease that caused insomnia who used CBD for relief and 87% of those participants said it improved their sleep.  So I think the chances of it helping are pretty high.

So ultimately, you have to decide if you feel that CBD is right for you and would be helpful for you, but now I hope you can confidently say that you understand what it is and how it works. I personally do take it and have felt that it’s been beneficial for me with dealing with anxiety, as well as dealing with inflammation and pain.

Giveaway

This is the 60th episode of the #HFpodcast, which I think deserves a little celebration, so I am going to be giving away a bottle of the Ancient Nutrition brand CBD oil, along with a couple other of my favorite stress-relieving favs to one of you!

In order to be entered into the drawing, make sure you are following me on Instagram, like the post talking about this episode, and tag a friend in the comments who may need to learn more about CBD. For a bonus entry, leave a rating and review of the podcast and share it on social media. All the details of the giveaway will be in the Instagram post, as well and the giveaway will run through next Wednesday,  6/9/20.

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020 - A Few of My Favorite Tips for Supporting Your Immune System

Hey, hey friends! Today we are going to be talking about ways to support our immune systems! 

We are now in that time of year where colds and flu germs are everywhere and it seems like most everyone has a sniffle or cough. Our family has already been hit with sickness this season, which is really what inspired me to talk about this today! There is no way to 100% guarantee that we won’t get sick, but there are a few simple things that we can do to support our bodies own defenses to hopefully reduce the chance of getting sick and then to help lessen the duration and severity of the illness when we do get it. 

Wash your hands

This one is rather obvious, but honestly, we overlook it a lot! I used to work in a hospital and one of the things that would measure is hand-washing practices and you would be appalled at how low that score was sometimes. We just get in a hurry and don’t think about all the surfaces we are touching before we eat a snack or touch our mouth and nose. 

Also, just a side-note here but studies have shown that using regular soap and water is just as effective at removing germs as using anti-bacterial soaps, and has the added benefit of not killing the good bacteria on your skin. Also, be careful of some of the hand-sanitizers out there. A lot of them contain harmful, endocrine system disrupting ingredients. I have a few favorites that don’t have any harmful ingredients because sometimes you don’t have access to soap and water, and need a hand sanitizer.

These are great options: Dr. Bonner’s Hand Sanitizing Spray, Honest Co Hand Sanitizing Spray, Branch Basics Mini Foaming Wash

Take a quality multivitamin

It’s common for us to have some nutrient gaps this time of year. Most of us find ourselves gravitating towards warmer, more comforting type foods rather than things like salads and fruits. And while we do need to make sure we are getting most of our nutrients from our food, it’s not a bad idea to add a quality multivitamin in as well to help your body function well!

Here are a few of my favorites: Mary Ruth Organics Liquid Multivitamin, Mary Ruth Organics Kids Multivitamin Gummies, Ancient Nutrition Immune Support Multivitamin, MegaFood Multivitamin for Women, MegaFood Multivitamin for Men

Take immune-boosting supplements

In addition to a multivitamin, there are other nutrients you can take to give your immune system a little extra boost. 

• Elderberry syrup is a powerhouse supplement! It has been shown to not only help defend your body against illness but also help your body heal more quickly when you do get sick. There are several great brands of syrup and gummies out there or you can make your own. Follow the recommended dosage daily for prevention and then increase your dosage accordingly during times of sickness.

A few great brands are: Mary Ruth’s Elderberry Syrup, Sambucol Elderberry Syrup, Sambucol Elderberry Gummies

• Vitamin D is so vital to good overall health, not just the immune system. If you are deficient (get tested), you may need to take a vitamin D supplement in addition to your multivitamin. If you live in a warmer climate, the best way to increase your levels is with sun exposure. Just be sure to use an app like D-minder to make sure you are doing so safely! Also, be sure to consult with your physician to have your levels tested before taking high dosages of Vitamin D.

Some great options: Klaire Labs Vitamin D3, Seeking Health Vitamin D, Seeking Health Liquid Vitamin D

• Vitamin C is commonly known for its immune-boosting properties. Also called ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate (cut with baking soda to be less tart) can be taken daily during cold and flu season for prevention and also taken at an increased dosage during times of illness to shorten duration and severity. The dosage amounts here are dependent on the person, so start with the recommended dosage on the package and then you can increase a tiny amount until you reach your personal tolerance level (you will know because your tummy will start gurgling).

• Zinc is a mineral that a lot of people are deficient in. It is very beneficial to the body in that it supports the immune system, acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps promote growth and repair. 

• Probiotics are so important for good gut health, which in turn promotes good overall health! If you remember, most of the cells that make up your immune system are housed in your gut - so poor gut health = poor immune health! 

This one by Mary Ruth’s is my current favorite: Mary Ruth Organics Liquid Probiotic

*If this feels like a really overwhelming list, there are great supplements out there that have a combo of most of these ingredients. This one by Mary Ruth’s is my favorite!

Home Remedies

• Detox baths* are a favorite of mine and they help with many things like relaxation and better sleep, but most importantly, they help your body detox! And when you are sick, your body can use some support on getting those toxins out! Soaking in a detox bath for 20+ minutes can help promote healing and help to shorten the duration of your sickness. Plus, it will help you rest better! Just make sure you drink plenty of water while in the bath and at least 16oz or more after you get out. 

*Detox baths can be made by adding 1-2 cups pure Epsom salt, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup baking soda, and a few drops of essential oils, (lavender is my fav) to a hot bath. 

• Apple Cider Vinegar has numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that ACV has antimicrobial properties, which means that it can kill bacteria and viruses that make us sick; and it is also anti-inflammatory. So not only can it help kill harmful bugs, it can help our bodies recover more quickly and reduce the symptoms of being sick. There are several ways to administer ACV but a couple of my favorites are: dilute 1:1 with water and gargle - this is especially helpful if you have a sore throat or a lot of mucus build-up;  make a fire cider with hot water, ACV, honey, ginger, and cinnamon - this helps so much with sore throats and swollen glands. 

• Honey + garlic are both strong antimicrobials and anti-inflammatories. I’m not going to try to sugar-coat this - this is gross! BUT when you are really sick and desperate, you don’t care as much! :) When you start to feel like you are getting sick, take a spoonful of honey (manuka has the most healing properties) mixed with a minced clove of garlic. I did this last year when I had the flu and I feel like it really helped to shorten the duration. I was only down about 3 days versus the usual 5-7.

• Last but definitely not least is Bone Broth! Y’all know how much I love bone broth! It is just so beneficial to your gut health and rebuilding the intestinal wall - which only helps to support your overall immune system! I think it’s a great idea to drink a cup regularly throughout the winter, or at the very least cook with it instead of regular chicken stock. And it makes for such a warm, comforting drink when you are sick - especially if you get a GI bug and can’t tolerate many other things. 

Sleep and hydrate!

Again, this one is common sense yet we so often just don’t do it! When you start to feel like you are getting sick, take as much as you can off your schedule and rest. I know that isn’t always possible, and honestly, it’s not something that we like to do, but if you can get some quality sleep in the beginning stages of getting sick, it will help your body defend itself much more quickly. I know that a lot of times we don’t want to miss work or whatever social events we have going on, but when we choose to just keep pushing our bodies and trying to manage the symptoms (which by the way is your body’s way of  trying to fight the sickness), we end making it so much harder on ourselves, not to mention we expose other people to whatever germs we have. I know it isn’t always possible to just cancel everything and stay home, but it’s worth doing as much of that as you can!

*Bonus tip - Be mindful of your sugar intake!

I know it’s so difficult this time of year because there are sweets everywhere we go (I’m sure there is absolutely no correlation between that and the increase in sickness during the holiday months! Wink, wink!). Obviously, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t eat any sugar, but just as a reminder - excess glucose in the body will feed the bad bacteria you are hoping to get rid of as well as raise your inflammation levels, which will make you feel worse. So if you’re hoping to avoid sickness or you are already feeling sick, be mindful of how much sugar you are having! 

And hopefully, this goes without saying, but listen to your body and if you feel like you need to see a physician or if you’re symptoms are continuing to get worse instead of better, please go see your doctor! 

Stay well, my friends! 

*Disclosure: Amazon links found in my posts are affiliate links, so I will earn a small commission when you purchase using those links. Thank you for your help in supporting the podcast!