November’s Theme: Natural Immunity
So here we are in darker nights, colder days with a chill in the air as we enter the last phase of Autumn. All the seasons bring their own gifts and pleasures, cosy nights in with flickering candles, early nights tucked up in bed with a hot water bottle or electric blanket and a good book to read, crisp walks through the autumn leaves in all their vibrant colours, warming soups, hot chocolate, turmeric lattes, freshly baked bread, scents of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and orange all embrace this wonderful season!
On the downside this is the season of coughs, colds and flu, and dare I say it the dreaded Covid is doing the rounds again! Which brings me to our theme for the month, which is Immunity, and how to support our immune system with delicious food and home made remedies!
Our body wants us to be well, fevers and coughs are its way of killing viruses and expelling bacteria. Suppressing coughs and taking paracetamol to lower body temperature is actually going against our body’s innate wisdom.
A few points to get us started:
Ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, elderberries, honey, onions, herbs and spices all have exceptional healing qualities, without any of the side effects commonly found in over the counter drugs.
Warmth, rest and supporting the body to do its job of getting rid of bacteria and viruses is a way better idea than simply popping pills and carrying on with our busy lives.
70% of our immune system is in the gut, our wee gut microbes instruct our immune cells when to jump into action and when to stand down. This process only works well when we have a balanced gut microbiome with plenty of the good guys, so this is the time to up our fibre intake and eat more fermented foods.
We will also be looking at supplements to support our immune system, including Vit D, Vit C, zinc and magnesium. Some of my favourite remedies are Fire Cider, Elderberry Syrup, Ginger Shots and Golden Milk, click the links below to check them out.
Fermented vegetables are actually the highest food source of Vit C, in a highly bio available form so another reason to up our intake of ferments!
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I’m off on holiday to Gran Canaria mid-month to top up my Vit D levels, enjoy some rest and relaxation, and also catch up with my beautiful friend Julie who lives there.
Do remember that our body can only heal when we give it the time to do so. Meditation, quiet time, early nights and proper rest are so important to allow our body to go into Rest and Repair mode. Healing will not happen if we are constantly busy, so have the relaxing bath and early night knowing that we deserve to look after ourselves and prioritise self care.
In good health,
Janice xx
