By Lucy Corkhill
22nd January 2013
Remember that your body is incredible and, most of all, it wants to heal. Give it plenty of rest and the right foods and you’ll find you get stronger every day.
1. GET JUICY! Raw vegetable juices, such as beetroot, carrot, spinach and celery can be mixed in with freshly extracted apple juice for a power-packed start to the day. A great way to get your kids to enjoy green leafy vegetables which are packed with antioxidants. Barbara Wren, author of Cellular Awakening describes a vegetable juice as ‘health insurance’.
2. GO COCO-NUTS! Like breastmilk, coconut oil contains lauric acid, and is also renowned for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Considered a ‘good fat’, it can help maintain a healthy metabolism and thus weight and is ideal for cooking with as it’s heat stable. Try adding some to smoothies, raw brownies etc. Or eat straight off the spoon – it’s delicious!
3. DO IT WITH D The sun doesn’t rise high enough on the horizon in the darker winter months to provide us with the vitamin D we need. It can be helpful to supplement with this vital vitamin during winter. Recent research showed that children who had had illnesses the previous year and were then given 4000IU of vitamin D daily did not suffer any respiratory infections at all.
4. FANTASTIC FISH OILS Fish oils provide immune-boosting vitamins A and D, plus omega 3 fatty acids which can help to reduce infection. Meals containing oily fish help, but try supplementing with cod liver oil or Antarctic krill oil for optimum results.
5. GO GO GARLIC Garlic is one of nature’s best healers for both bacterial and viral infections because it stimulates the immune system, increases activity of T-helper cells and white blood cells. It also helps to clear mucous from the lungs. Add cooked to as many main meals as you can, and try it raw in salad dressings, spread on vegetables and home-made bread. For those that can stomach it, try fighting a cold with a clove of garlic finely chopped and mixed with yoghurt to aid digestion – you’ll be amazed at how powerful this remedy can be.
6. HONEY HONEY Antibacterial honey has long been used as a healing agent for everything from sore throats to skin infections. Try adding raw local honey to hot water, grated ginger and lemon juice to ease the symptoms of a cold. Or cover a ring of onion with honey and leave overnight to make a healing cough syrup. Raw local honey can help fight allergies such as hay fever.
7. HAPPY GUT The ecosystem of friendly bacteria in your intestinal tract is where health begins. Babies derive healthy gut bacteria from their mother’s milk, but it can be depleted at different times, including when our health is compromised by antibiotics. Feed your gut with a probiotic supplement and boost your general health.
8. ONIONS FOR ALL Like garlic, onions are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, plus they promote a healthy cardiovascular system. The Indians call the trio of onions, garlic and ginger the ‘holy trinity’ and they feature heavily in their cuisine. Onions and garlic share the same sulphur-baring compounds that assist the body in fighting infection.
9. GINGER ROGERS Ginger is a natural antibiotic and helps to warm and detox the body. A cup of ginger tea does wonders for a sore throat. It helps ease congestion, is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Like onions and garlic, ginger stimulates T-cell activity. If you feel yourself coming down with something, or would simply like to boost your family’s health, cook a lovely fresh vegetable curry with lots of ginger, garlic and onion.
10. WASH IT DOWN Though the recommendation for how much water we should consume varies according to who is giving the advice, it’s safe to say that one of the best ways to fight infection is to provide the body with enough fluid. All of our bodily systems need to be hydrated to function optimally. According to Ayurvedic teaching, water should be drunk at room temperature as ice cold water compromises our digestion and shocks the body. Get the day off to a good start with a glass of warm water with a slice of lemon, and then you’ll find it easier to continue the good habit.
Books worth reading
Cellular Awakening by Barbara Wren
Your Body’s Many Cries for Water
The Vitamin D Solution
Eat Right for your Body Type
