Who Let the Flu In? Preventative Measures For When Someone Brings the Unwanted Guest Home

I got that call for the first time last week. Sure he’s almost three, but the daycare provider announcement of his germ infestation  told the story of what was to come in our house within the next few days: something between a cold and a flu passed along from son, to mommy, to daddy.

And there wasn’t much that I could do to stop it; or was there? I will admit that I am writing this blog from my bed, but truthfully, things could have gotten much worse. As a nutritionist and fitness expert you would think that knowing the clear rules of how our immune system works would grant me flu immunity. Even with a sniffling, coughing, runny-nosed toddler pressed up against my face during cuddle time.

Here are a few things to think about when a cold piggybacks into your home:

1. Wash, clean, spray. Get rid of all toothbrushes and start fresh. If an article of clothing has hit any body, wash it. You don’t need to smell it to see if you can get in another day’s worth of wearing. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.

2. Spicy soup for colds, Chicken soup for fevers. Chicken has a cooling property which will make a cold even more congested, but will cool a feverish body. Spicy foods will warm up a cold and get it moving out of the body.

3. Stay away from cheese when congested.

4. Have a light workout. A walk will do wonders. Weight training won’t. When your body exerts strain on the muscles, your immune system temporarily weakens allowing something to infest your body. Stay away from heavy strength training or heavy cardio sessions for a few days.

5. Find something that works for you and gives you some relief. My husband is hooked on oil of oregano for cold and flu prevention due to its high anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. I can’t stand it. Propolis, a bee-made derivative in the royal jelly and honey family, increases my immune system at the onset of a sore throat. And I drink a lot of broths and teas.

6. Drink a lot of liquids. I have heard that since I was small, but it does work to getting the cold out of your system faster. The sooner the better.

Hope some of these suggestions help you. There is nothing worse than knowing there is so much to do and all you want to do is sleep, for the third day in a row…

Those Raging Hormones

I’ll start this blog with a little more honesty than I thought I’d be starting a post. Here it is: I’ve got so many hormones coursing through my body that my body thinks it’s pregnant.

I’m not…. I don’t think. But since Christmas I haven’t gotten myself back into eating as well, as cleanly, and as vegetarian/ vegan as I normally do. And now everything hurts: my stomach, pms pains, my breasts, and due to my ultra-crabby disposition, my relationships. Ask my husband.

I know better than to do this to my body, this being the Eat-what-you-want type without having to think-of the-consequence so since I started following my strong “flush excess hormones from your body” today. And in case you are on the slow side of getting things back to normal this year too, I thought that I would share the list with you:

1. Eat as much fresh vegetables as possible.

2. Eat two portions of cleansing fruit: pineapple, apples, pears, grapes.

3. Take two tablespoons of flaxseed, and/or fish oil supplement.

4. Stay away from all animal proteins including eggs and milk.

5. Eat lentils and other legumes.

6. Drink a lot of water with lemon, preferably warm.

 

In other words, eat as healthy as possible. Hope this helps us both. And I will post if there is a good reason for the rage… Then we’ll have to start a whole new conversation, among a whole new bunch of other things… naw!