Battle at the Front Lines

November 21, 2014 / Char Conlin / Comments Off on Battle at the Front Lines

PowHERhouse Holistic Nutrition Editor, Charlene Colin, has your best interests and best health in mind.

 

Here we are in the thick of it – the business of getting on – the battle we have prepared for – this fun thing called living!  We soldier on while the little soldiers inside our bodies (our immune system) take most of the hits. Actually, all of the hits.  This is what our bodies are meant to do – repair, heal and rebuild, it’s all part of the design.  So why can’t we just carry on and our little soldiers do their jobs while we do ours? Why do they weaken and fail us sometimes? Why did I have to get that stupid cold or flu in the middle of me doing my thing?  It’s such hassle!

Photo credit: Jane Smither

Photo credit: Jane Smither

 

Even the healthiest people get sick. We all get hit with that bug sometime, and while there are many reasons we get sick, there are a few we can control which could lessen the frequency or duration that bug keeps us down.

 

One major cause of weakened immunity is stress. You’ve heard it before, and it’s still true. Your little soldiers have to leave the front lines of defense and go back to the recesses of your body to repair the damage caused by stress, namely, cortisol. Cortisol is the flight or flight hormone released during times of stress, any kind of stress, and it can cause a lot of wear and tear in our bodies. Unfortunately, the go-to knee-jerk soother for cortisol relief is often sugar or eating and drinking high sugar/carbohydrate-y things, Sugar is another major cause of internal damage that our little soldiers need to leave the front lines for. So, help your immune system by avoiding sugar and too much stress.

 

Too late! You caught that cold. Now what? Again, we want to help our immune system and not impede it. Try not to reach for those over-the-counter syrups and pills. They are full of nasty food colouring, aspartame and chemicals that don’t contribute to healing at all.  They merely numb the symptoms, and don’t allow your little soldiers to do their job.

 

There are many tried and tested natural remedies available in health food stores, drug stores or pharmacies.

  • Oil of oregano
  • Olive leaf extract
  • Echinacae
  • Propolis
  • Colloidal Silver
  • Astralagus
  • Garlic
  • Vitamin C (food source, not ascorbic acid)

 

Here are a couple recipes to not only soothe those horrible symptoms, but will also fuel your immune system to heal quickly so you can get back to business.

 

Honey Lemon Ginger Elixir

This is wonderful for a sore throat, congestion, cough and even symptoms of nausea. Honey is antibacterial, anti-viral and immune building, plus it soothes a sore throat quite nicely. The ginger calms a nauseated belly and it is extremely anti-inflammatory. The lemon aids digestion, promotes detoxification of the liver and is a wonderful source of immune boosting vitamin C. Oh and it tastes like candied ginger!

Recipe

Pack as many chopped fresh lemon slices into a mason jar as you can (choose organic)

Grate 2 tbsp (at least) of fresh ginger with a fine grater

Fill the space left in the mason jar with honey, preferably local or unpasteurized to get the healing benefits of the honey

How to enjoy: Place 1-2 tsp of elixir into 1 cup of hot water. Let cool slightly before drinking. Keeps for several weeks in the fridge.

 

Spicy Lemon Zinger

This is your go-to for a snotty, congested head and headache. This is not the drink to take when you have a fever, as it will create more heat in the body. The lemon aids the liver in detoxification, and it’s extremely cleansing. The cayenne is metabolism-boosting and increases circulation that will benefit you even when you don’t have a cold. The heat from the cayenne is extremely beneficial for congestion as it will promote the flow of mucous. But please,  I beg you! Do not take medications that stop the flow of mucous. You want to blow it out — not back it up!

Recipe

1 cup water

1/2 juice of 1 fresh lemon

1/2 tsp cayenne

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method: Boil water and pour into a mug. Add lemon, cayenne and apple cider vinegar. Let cool slightly before drinking. Keep a tissue handy because you will be blowing your nose in no time!

 

Great tips.  Great solutions to build powHERful soldiers and powHERful women!

 

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Char Conlin

Charlene Conlin, Registered Holistic Nutritionist is passionate about health and whole food. Her love of cooking led her to the Professional Culinary Program at the Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver, where she learned the preparation and cooking methods that turn simple, fresh whole food ingredients into mouth-watering meals that are as healthy as they are delicious. Charlene’s love of helping others motivated her to graduate from the Holistic Nutrition Program at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, where she learned the Holistic Nutrition principles that are the foundation of healthy living. A mother of two, Charlene also has a keen understanding of the need for simplicity and balance. Her goal is to empower you through education and give you the practical tools you need to make positive lifestyle changes easily and permanently.