5 tips to keep colds and the flu away

Coming down with a cold? 5 tips to keep colds&flu at bay
At the first sign of coming down with a cold or flu don’t despair, just get yourself ready to:

OXYGENATE

Fresh air is needed to fight infections. So wrap up and go out for a walk in nature. Get inspired by nature and let your thoughts calm down. A few weeks ago, the kids and I were coming down with ‘something’ (running noses, dry cough, pressure on the head). We had a lovely walk in the Wicklow mountains for a couple of hours, ate wild berries and came back totally invigorated.

REST
It is traditional wisdom and plain physiology. The body is fighting stress and infection. Make it easier just by taking time off from the busy world. Avoid shopping, deadlines and stressful situations/people 🙂 If your mind gets active, make a list of things to do for when you ‘come back’ from your cold.

JUICE UP

Recent studies confirm that vitamin C shortens the duration of the common cold and since vitamin C is partly destroyed by cooking, juicing is the best strategy. Fruits&veg are also high other plant compounds which oxygenate the blood and help fighting infections. An immune booster for all the family: raw beetroot, pineapple, raspberry and lemon (see pic). Add some veg: spinach, carrot, celery, cucumber, ginger. Make it twice/day. Drink plenty of water too!

IMMUNE BOOSTING DIET

The rule of thumb is drink more, eat less. And whatever you eat, eat the right stuff. So instead of recurring to comfort foods like biscuits or pies prepare yourself a homely soup (ideally, a nutritious chicken broth or any fresh vegetable soup), eat lots of probiotic foods (fermented cabbage, homemade pickles -see pic) and a handful of Brazil nuts (high in selenium which feeds the immune system). Note: they are plenty of Irish lacto-fermented conserves just look for vinegar&preservative-free ones. If you want to know more on home fermentation, watch out for my next post!

LAUGH

Laughter is good for your health. It is relaxing and it actually activates the thymus to produce immune cells. So play your favorite comedy movie or play with your kids silly jokes. No joking, laughter may be the best cure!