It’s that time of year when the weather keeps changing with fluctuating outside temperatures. When our immune systems tend to be more run down and can have a hard time fighting off colds and flu. Thankfully, there are many natural, fun, and effective ways to support the immune system that can start in the comfort of your home.
On that note, here are my top 5 immune boosters for families!
Kick That Flu To The Curb With Vitamin D with K2
It is extremely difficult to get sufficient amounts of vitamin D naturally if you are living in a northern continent or colder climates. This is no surprise, as Vitamin D deficiency affects almost 50-60 percent of the population worldwide. So, it’s important to supplement! Here are the vitamin D intake levels recommended for patients at risk for vitamin D deficiency:
Infants: 400–1,000 IU/day (Upper Limit: 2,000)
Children: 1 -18 years: 600-1,000 IUs/day (Upper limit 4,000)
Adults: 19 +: 1,500-2,000 IU’s/day (upper limit 10,000)
Vitamin K2 is the latest and greatest vitamin that aids vitamin D (Not to be taken if you are on a blood thinner). Learn more about the importance of vitamin K2! Click here to read – Calcium without Vitamin K2 is a Heart Breaker.
Essential Oils For Tubby Time
Adding 1-3 drops of an organic essential oil such as tea tree or eucalyptus while the tub is filling allows for the lungs and sinus to stay open and get rid of any stubborn mucus. Have you heard of this miracle oil? You should be using it! Click here to learn more.
Coat That Throat!
Elderberry syrup ½ tsp/day taken as a tea or added to a shake, or on its own is a delicious way to ward off bacteria, even strep!
Tea Time
There are so many wonderful teas that help strengthen the immune system—my all-time favourite is gingerbread tea→2 inches of ginger chopped, 2 cinnamon sticks, and the rind and juice of 1 organic lemon. Add these to 4 cups of water and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add 1 tsp of unpasteurized honey* to your mug for a warming lovely tea.
Soup It Up!
The collagen that is extracted from chicken or beef bones while making soup still stands as an important flu-fighter. Use cooked bones and add to a slow cooker full of filtered water. Add lemon or lime juice (this helps extract the goodness of the bones). Do this for 12-24 hours for the best soup stock.
Use 1 or all of these suggestions in rotation. I strive to make soup 1/week, have the gingerbread tea 1/week and do the essential oil tubbies, elderberry and vitamin D/K daily.
*Avoid unpasteurized honey in anyone under the age of 1 years old.
Click, Immunity and you – How to boost your Immune System Naturally for long-term protection for further reading.
Contact Dr. Kirsten Almon at the Herbal Clinic and Dispensary on Roncesvalles (Toronto) or Erin Mills Optimum Health (Mississauga) for more information about your immune system, mineral status or anything else health related.