An apple a day....
Ok, tis the season for everyone to start hacking and coughing and come down with something. Of course the best course of action is to never get sick in the first place…..but sometimes it happens. One thing to keep in mind, is that you never really “catch” a cold. Viruses and bacteria are everywhere….they are out there…in the air, on doorknobs, everywhere people are. So to say that you catch anything is silly because you are constantly being exposed to things. What really is happening is when you get sick, your body loses the battle to control the amount of bacteria infection inside of you and then it has to take more drastic actions (get a fever, create mucus, etc).
No one is perfect, not even me (sigh….gasp….I know!). Sometimes we all need a solid reminder to not take things for granted and think we are so “indestructible”. We never know how good our state health really is, until it is gone. So that being said….I have the 5 top ways your doctor won’t tell you on how to keep healthy (or beat the flu) this season while everyone else is walking around with a box of Kleenex and doped up on NyQuil. I’m skipping over the boring stuff like “exercise”, “eat healthy real foods”, “avoid sugar”, “getting plenty of sleep”, and “reducing stress”….because we already know those work right? So here’s some other stuff:
- Contrast (hot/cold) showers – Oh yeah, these are fun. What you do is start with a hot shower, after a couple min then turn the knob to as cold as you can tolerate for 30 seconds. Then back to hot for 1-2 min, then another cycle of cold for 30sec. You should notice that each cold cycle is colder as you build up the tolerance. Repeat for 3….5…10 times. This will help you to increase circulation and lymph flow (the lymphatic system being your “trash collecting” service of the body). Get all the toxic waste out and start the healing process…..or just do daily and keep your body as clean as you can on the inside.
- Cinnamon in your Coffee/Tea – ever try it? Delicious! Not only that….cinnamon is a great anti-bacterial agent you want fighting off the bad guys. I use it every time I get an Americano (espresso in hot water)….it’s great stuff!
- If you are going to drink, try avoiding Beer for a while – Beer is a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast in the body. With all it’s yeast, sugar, carbohydrates and starch….it can keep things growing in your body that you should be trying to kill off. Drinking more hard alcohol like vodka, gin or tequila will have less yeast growing potential than beer. Of course, alcohol should be in moderation.
- Winter months means Cod Liver Oil, not Fish Oil – What’s the difference? Cod Liver Oil has higher amounts of Vit A and D. You will see plenty of new research and findings nowadays linking Vit D to all sorts of health and immune system benefits. What’s the best way to get Vit D? The sun! But….winter time and I don’t think many of you are going out for a tan in 30deg weather. So time to boost the Vit D and one of the best ways is through good ole Cod Liver Oil (Grandma knew best!).
- and lastly…my secret weapon…Apple Cider Vinegar every day – I’ll admit, even I fell off the ACV bandwagon a while back and a recent day of feeling run down reminded me that prevention is key and my ACV was my best friend. 1-2 tablespoons of ACV mixed in some boiled hot water first thing in the AM and last thing PM are what the body loves. Talk about killing off fungus, bacteria and anything else growing. Also it’s a great Ph balancer and about 1000 other health claims made by people from helping to get rid of Acid Reflux to improving their joints….heck you could probably shine silverware with it. Best part….get a big bottle at the local store for $4. Even the deductible for one doctor visit is way more than that! For $4 a month I never have to see a doctor! If you want to spice it up add some cayenne pepper for increased circulatory benefits. Warning: NEVER take it straight!! (always mix in water). Also when buying ACV ALWAYS get the kind “WITH the Mother”….it’s the cloudy kind that has the good stuff still alive inside. The standard clearer bottles on the supermarket shelves (next to the regular white vinegar) are not the same thing. Look in the health food section of the supermarket of find a health food store (a good brand to look for is Bragg, started by Paul Bragg who has been preaching the health benefits of ACV for a very long time).
There you have it……prevention is daily. So you can either spend $4 a day to keep healthy……or $100s in doctor bills….it’s your choice.
If you want to learn more about how to keep yourself healthy, cells strong, and the easiest eating plan to lose fat and feel better than ever….then you will want to check out how many use intermittent fasting.