Tips For A Quick Recovery During Cold Season

In early October Charlie my 2 year old started with a croupy cough on Thursday.  By Friday morning it sounded a bit worse.  Having had a child who has a history of asthma I had a moment of panic.  I talked myself out of the panic and ran straight to Whole Foods.  I’ve been giving my family high quality vitamins and supplements but both are in school and complete immunity to colds is most likely unrealistic.

I went back to nature.  I bought a ton of organic red apples, ginger, lemons, garlic, honey and Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.  For 3 days I had Charlie use a Pink Himalayan Sea Salt inhaler (helps flush away impurities from respiratory system) and I made him fresh pressed apple-ginger juice and garlic tea.  Yes, you read it garlic tea!

Let’s start off with apple-ginger juice.  Apples are rich in fiber and flavonoids (reduce chronic coughing and respiratory illnesses.)  Ginger is a natural expectorant (helps get break down and get rid of the mucus).  It is also an anti-inflammatory which helps if your throat and glands when swollen.  Lemons are high in bioflavonoids and vitamin C.  By combining all three ingredients together not only do you make a delicious juice but a cocktail to help get rid of any respiratory sickness.

Using your juicer and juice the following:

(4) Organic Gala or any red apples
(1) Organic yellow lemon
1/4 inch organic ginger root

*Yields approximately 1.5-2 cups (depending on size of apples.)

Garlic tea has been used in my family since I can remember.  Now that I have been studying and applying more holistic remedies to my family’s life I understand why it is so effective.  Garlic contains allicin.  Allicin is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral which therefore naturally treats respiratory infections.

Garlic Tea

1 organic head of garlic peeled and minced
1 Qt. water (alkaline if possible)
2 TBS Organic Honey

In a small sauce pot bring all ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes.  Strain garlic.  Serve and drink.

Though I wish Charlie would not have dealt with getting sick at all.  I still consider this a victory.  From the time he started inhaler and drinking juice / tea to the time he was well again, it was a total of 2 days.  By day 2 he was running around and back to taking over the world.

Remember common colds and flus will happen. The key is to not getting sick often and recovering quickly.  If your body is strong and healthy, getting sick will be very uncommon and if it does recovering should only take a couple of days.  Next time you feel a scratchy throat I encourage you to try these out.

Vitamin L

Hi everyone!  It’s been a few weeks now.  Some of you may have read that I was powerless for 10 days.  No, I am not here to complain.  I am actually quite fortunate that my family and I only lost power.  Having been detached from the world for 10 days and now knowing the actual disaster “Sandy” had inflicted on many families has been truly heart wrenching.  My heart goes out to all those that have lost more than power.

Was it inconvenient?  Absolutely!  Were there chilly nights?  Yes!  But bottom line my WHOLE family was together under one roof.  On Monday morning as Sandy approached New York, we lost power at about 10am (along with our whole neighborhood.)  I am very blessed to share a home with my parents.  They live on one floor and I live on the other.  My sister and brother in law live across the street too!  Double blessing!!!

For 10 days we all lived under the same roof.  We made all three meals together, we ate together, played board games, drank some of my mom’s famous sangria and just had some true quality family time.  Though we all are within walking distance of each other everyone lives their own busy life.  It is rare to have all 10 of us under one roof for 10 days and share 30 meals in a row.

You see nutrition is not just about feeding you body the vitamins and foods it needs to thrive on.  Nutrition is about nourishing your WHOLE body, mind and soul.  Whether your mind and soul feeds off a group of friends or family, it is important to not put it to the wayside.  We all live in a life of go, go, go.  Who is coming, who is going, where are going?  Often I hear people say they literally just inhale their food and go onto their next thing.  (I was one of those a little over a year ago.  My co-workers would say, “Oh Jackie will be right back, she just went to inhale her food.”)  Life is about getting things done but not forgetting the cliche saying, “Stop and smell the roses.”

Find a way to incorporate a little of what I call Vitamin L into your life.  Wait have you heard of Vitamin L?  Vitamin L is what gives you the motivation to continue, it is what will keep you going even when others say things can’t get done.  Vitamin L stands for LOVE!  Without love what is the point of feeding your body with the best vitamins and minerals money can buy?

Now go ahead and give yourself some Vitamin L and when you are done go ahead and share it with someone else.

Peace & Health,
J-

PS:  There are so many organizations giving some Vitamin L to those who have been effected by Sandy.  Perhaps if haven’t already done so you can start there.  It’s amazing what a can of soup or a blanket can impact on a person now.