Every single year we know that this is cold and flu season and instead of doing what we need to do, we just sit and wait for it plough us over.
The cold and flu is not inevitable. It's the germ that gets us but our own terrain that sets the stage to welcome in the germ. There are some crazy simple things we can start doing now to help ward off the autumn cold so that instead of calling in sick, we can call in healthy and go out and play. The key to boosting the immune system, is supporting our organs of cleansing, detoxing and elimination.
1. Stay hydrated. This is simple. Drink water. Lots of it and if you are going with reverse osmosis or distilled be sure to re-minerlize your water with a pinch of sea salt, a squeeze of lemon or a few drops of Ocean's Alive marina phytoplankton. This keeps the waste matter cleansing through. Or, of course, there is always our favourite green juice to get your cells all happy hydrated.
2. Rest! All you have to do is lie down and do absolutely nothing. It doesn't get much easier. We need sleep for our body to rest and repair, and for our cells to do some serious scrubbing. Not getting enough sleep for even one night sets the terrain for germs to take hold, not to mention weakens our will to say no to the doughnuts and coffee and yes to a power smoothie.
3. Eliminate. We need water, fibre and relaxation to poop like our bodies were made to do. When we don't eliminate regularly, we are reabsorbing waste matter which increases our toxic load, lowers our immune response and of course, makes us feel achy and sluggish. Take time everyday for pooping.
4. Brush off that skin. This is one of the easiest things and feels awesome. Using a loofah, or a dry skin brush, give your skin a brushing, like you do to horses and dogs. From tip to tail (or in our case, toes to head), always brushing towards the heart. You will stimulate your entire lymphatic system which helps detox the cells, cleanse the blood and let the skin breathe so the two pounds of waste matter we shed per day, can get on out!
5. Green it on up. It's a lot easier to eat loads of fresh salads in the hot months of summer and we tend to forget this come the chilly evenings of fall. Keep a green powder on hand -- one that is rich in phytonutrients, and free of sweeteners and fillers. This is going to make your cells dance, push out the bad to make room for the good, and essentially help bathe your insides in cell regenerating power. Green powder should be your pantry staple.
6. Start on the Vitamin C. We store up our vitamin C in our body and when we get sick, it's kind of too late to start amping it up. Your best defense to support detoxing and a healthy immune system is to start high dosing now. I love a good buffered vitamin C supplement but also indulge in citrus fruits, red peppers, cucumbers and cabbage!
7. Filter your shower. A lot of people drink filtered water but forgetthat one shower is the equivalent in toxic absorption, as drinking eight glasses of water. A basic shower filter will help cut down on the chlorine, flouride and other chemicals present in our water system from absorbing straight in through our skin and being inhaled. It is an affordable investment that goes a long way.
8. Stop moisturizing with Toxins. Our beauty care products are perhaps where we are taking in the greatest of our toxic load. One easy switch is moisturizer.Coconut oil is one of the best cheap, cheerful and clean beauty products we can use. A great moisturizer, hair treatment and make-up remover.