Four Wildly Effective Ways to Survive Cold and Flu Season – Without Getting a Shot!
It’s that time of the year, when the temperature changes in most of North America and viruses get passed around the neighborhood like a fruit cake nobody wants. We notice more sniffles and sneezes, especially from the kids coming home from school. Adults catch the creeping crud too, but kids seem to spend the day in a petri dish, guaranteeing their exposure to viruses that can make us sick.
But there is good news! It is not only possible to turn “Cold and Flu Season” into “Feeling Awesome Season,” it’s easy- and it doesn’t involve shots that we know don’t work.
PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE
Before I give you the Four Ways to Survive Cold and Flu Season, let’s look at factors that can affect your immune system and cause you to absorb these viruses.
- Avoid eating too much sugar and grains. This is a good suggestion in general, but sugar and fructose will disrupt your gut flora, compromising your immune system. Since 80% of your immune system is in your gastrointestinal tract you can’t afford to attack it.[i]
- Not enough Vitamin D. Between shorter days and cold weather outside we tend to not get enough exposure to the sun during winter months. Vitamin D is a great resource for avoiding respiratory tract infections- one of the key components to colds and flu.[ii]
- Not enough quality sleep. Your immune system rebuilds and your body heals while you sleep.
- StReSs management. In addition to quality sleep (when we stress less), having a system in place to manage the inevitable stress is crucial. Whether it’s prayer, meditation or just embracing “Namaste All Day,” you can master the emotional overload. We also recommend certain soothing essential oils to help you get your chillax on.[iii]
- Not enough exercise. A study published in PubMed showed that people who exercised regularly cut the likelihood of respiratory tract infections almost in half! [iv] A sedentary lifestyle isn’t healthy in the first place, but exercise has the added effect of boosting your immune system.[v]
A SURVIVAL GUIDE
Sometimes life happens, and you drop the ball on one or more of these factors. Where do you turn when you’ve become ground zero for the flu virus?
- Silver Hydrosol. In the old days, when a child got the sniffles a popular remedy was to put a silver half dollar coin in a cup, fill it with milk and have the kid drink it. We don’t recommend that today, but there is an alternative that is even better. Silver hydrosol, a form of colloidal silver, has many properties that will boost your immune system by helping fight those bacteria, viruses and fungi that pass along sickness. [vi]
When taking it we strongly recommend you use silver hydrosol specifically. It is a more balanced version of the metallic element and more difficult to over-indulge on.
- Vitamin D. A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 found: “that vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of schoolchildren.”[vii]
Optimal Vitamin D levels will not only drive colds and flu from your body- it will keep them from ever getting a foothold in the first place.
- Garlic. Garlic is not always referred to as a super-food, but it has many healing qualities that certainly make it seem like one. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that make it a delicious part of everybody’s health journey. It is 100 times more effective than two well-known antibiotics at fighting disease causing bacteria. Louis Pasteur, the 19th century French chemist and microbiologist, found that bacteria died when they were brought into contact with garlic.[viii] It’s no wonder Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine.”
- Zinc. We’ve known for years that zinc is a great defense against colds and even the flu. If you begin taking zinc at first sign of sickness it can shorten the duration and severity. Even better, it does not require a prescription. [ix]
While we recommend zinc without reservation, there is something that you must be aware of while taking it: zinc can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb other minerals, like iron, magnesium and copper. It’s important that you are aware of any mineral deficiencies in your body. Pathway To Wellness can order that test for you.
Other supplements that can be used to boost your immune system are Vitamin C, Oregano Oil, Medicinal Mushrooms, and Olive leaf extract.
These suggestions are safe and effective, don’t require a prescription, and won’t involve injecting toxins into your blood stream. They’re a great way to manage your health during this difficult time of the year, for both you and your family. If you have questions or need to schedule a test you can contact a Wellness Way Office near you.
REFERENCES
[i] https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/02/04/zinc-garlic-vitamin-d.aspx
[ii] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414815#qundefined
[iii] https://goodrelaxation.com/2012/12/top-10-essential-oils-for-relaxation-and-stress-relief/
[iv] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21041243
[v] See point i
[vi] https://www.livestrong.com/article/394501-what-are-the-benefits-of-colloidal-silver/
[vii] American Journal of Clinical Nutrition May 2010; 91(5): 1255-1260
[viii] https://preventdisease.com/news/12/050212_Garlic-Proven-100-Time-More-Effective-Than-Antibiotics.shtml
[ix] https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/03/is-zinc-really-good-for-a-cold.aspx